British workers going to extreme measures to avoid small talk

A survey has shed light on the extremes that British workers will go to when it comes to avoiding small talk.

Those that wish to shun the water cooler catch-ups in favour of professional solitude make up nearly six out of ten of the workforce, with over a third confessing to doing so on a daily basis.

One in eight said they would rather hide than ‘face the banter’, with hiding places including computer screens, fridge doors, and walls. Two-thirds had gone a whole day without divulging in any non-working chatter.