81% of large businesses and organisations in London have lost working days due to a lack of effective contact tracing[1], according to a new study commissioned by Contact Harald, a pioneering contact tracing tool. The resulting lost productivity is estimated to have cost each company in the capital over £750,000 in the last year.

The study found London businesses were disproportionately affected, with the UK average is £660,193 per business due to absent workers isolating and waiting for test results.

Amid reports of an estimated 600,000 jobs lost according to UKHospitality, and 14,800 retail store closures because of the pandemic, the research puts into sharp focus the need for efficient, accurate contact tracing if businesses are to remain profitable. However, over a third of businesses (37%) in Britain claim to have found tracking potential contact cases difficult, or very difficult, suggesting more support is required in order to protect companies – and employees – as the world start operating again post the COVID-19 era.

Unsurprisingly, nine in 10 London businesses surveyed said that a tech solution would have prevented days lost to potential COVID contact.