Get Ready To Get Socially Fit with Three UK

Research from Three UK uncovers truth behind ‘Social Fitness’ trend, as Brits crave stronger social skills and deeper connections.

Leading mobile network launches ‘Mind, Body & Scroll’ – the world’s first social fitness hub

Whilst it’s never been more important to take care of our physical and mental health, an emerging trend has been uncovered by Three UK, showing that as a nation we need to boost our ‘Social Fitness’ too. Research released today shows that Brits are looking to enhance their social and communication skills, build stronger networks and a deeper sense of belonging – leading to a happier, healthier life.

According to the study released today by the UK’s Fastest 5G Network*, Three, we are a nation craving deeper connections but some feel they lack the know-how. With over two thirds (69%) of the nation admit they could have stronger emotional connections with the people in their network. Yet almost half (49%) lack the confidence to communicate effectively, stating their shortage of communication skills has stopped them from connecting with family members.

It’s not just how we communicate that is key – being part of digital conversations can make us feel happier too. The research highlighted the importance of Brits feeling supported by their network groups, as three-quarters (73%) believe regularly communicating in group chats with friends, family and colleagues cultivates a stronger sense of belonging with those around us. This insight underpins Three’s wider campaign of Life Needs A Big Network, which aims to highlight the importance of our individual networks and the role it plays in our lives.

To help people feel more confident in communicating and building better relationships with their communities, Three is launching an immersive pop-up in the heart of London. Mind, Body & Scroll – the world’s first social fitness hub – opens to the public on 7th & 8th August hosting a range of holistic classes to help strengthen your communications skills and sense of togetherness.

With phones readily in our hands or pockets, 64% of the nation believe it’s easy to stay connected with their loved ones. But with the variety of apps on offer, 51% of Brits feel overwhelmed by the number of communication methods, apps, channels and ways to speak to people today, as 1 in 5 use four different apps and channels to keep in touch with friends and family. This has ultimately led a depletion in Brit’ social fitness levels.

Emojis have additionally become integral to our daily communication allowing us to visually express our emotions and reactions instantly. Out of 3,000 emoji choices, Brits use on average 4 different emojis daily, and Gen Z use over 6.

Although, over a third (35%) are confused by which emojis to use while messaging and wish they had a wider emoji vocabulary to better communicate with their networks. Illustrating the need for emoji mastery, one in four (26%) admitted using the wrong emoji in messages to friends or family has led to embarrassment!

Three’s Social Fitness research also uncovered some further areas for improvement:

• Half of Brits (50%) worry about the speed of conversations in group chats, often leaving them hesitant when sending and replying to messages
• More than a third (38%) re-read what they have written before hitting send for fear of making mistakes
• Gen Z (43%) were revealed as the least socially fit, admitting to taking up to 1 hour to reply to a message and one fifth having 20 unread messages at once on their mobile devices
• Listening has become a lost art, as almost half (47%) of the nation struggle to concentrate or are distracted when in conversation
• With the majority (80%) admitting that not actively listening to others impacts their personal relationships

To help people improve their listening and communication skills, Three are inviting the public to book one of the classes at its pop-up social fitness hub – Mind, Body & Scroll. The event will be held at The Outernet, London on 7th & 8th August and will host a series of free fun classes each day to help educate and encourage Brits to build their social and communication skills, curated and hosted by leading experts in their field.

Mind, Body & Scroll immersive classes include:

• Emoji Press– a crash course into the meaning, use and madness of emojis hosted by Keith Broni, Editor-in-Chief of Emojipedia. Enhance your emoji vocabulary to better communicate with your networks and empower your sense of self-expression.
• Heavyweight Listening– A deep listening workshop and mindful meditation hosted by Georgina Halabi, a certified positive intelligence coach. Deepen your relationships and strengthen your social conversational skills with this active approach to mindfulness.
• Groups Therapy – the science of belonging and connection within your networks, hosted by life coach, Charlotte Silver. Deep dive into group chat etiquette, how to navigate important relationships and maintain life-long bonds.

The space will also offer interactive games and one-on-one expert advice.

Speaking about the launch of the new study, Aislinn O’Connor, Marketing Director at Three UK & Ireland said: “The research shows we are a nation that thrives on building strong networks and deeper connections with others. From family group chats to one-on-one chit-chat, we all have our own unique collection of networks that spark meaningful conversations and nurture a sense of belonging. With our new pop-up, Mind, Body & Scroll, we aim to inspire Brits to boost their Social Fitness for a better connected life on the UK’s Fastest 5G Network.”

Three UK’s Mind, Body & Scroll, the world’s first social fitness hub, is open 7th & 8th August in The Outernet, London. For more information and free tickets visit – https://Mind-Body-Scroll.eventbrite.com