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Benefits October 14, 2008
The Workplace: the new Gossip "Back Porch?"
October 14, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The workplace
has apparently become a key arena for socializing and even
trading shopping tips, according to a new study from consumer
intelligence firm BIGresearch.
Reported by Fred Schneyer
A news release said more than half of all American
workers, 68%, report socializing with co-workers while
taking a break from work and another 42% also confess to
communicating with friends and family during the workday
via telephone, e-mail, and texting.
Some 95.6% of at-work consumers indicate that they
regularly or occasionally give advice to their peers in
the workplace about products and services. Keeping with
the pace, 92.9% indicate that they also seek advice from
coworkers before making purchases, the news release
said.
“With Americans now spending a recordbreaking 60% of their waking hours at work, the days of stopping by your neighbor’s front porch in the afternoon to discuss current events over an iced tea are over,” said Stephanie Molnar, CEO of WorkPlace Media, in the news release. “These days, time-starved consumers are more likely stop by a colleague’s cubicle on their way out for an iced coffee than socialize with neighbors back at home, where household chores and family responsibilities take precedence over casual conversation.”
The At-Work Consumer Media & Shopping Behavior survey was conducted in December 2007 from a national sample of 3,989 U.S. employees across a variety of industries.
More information is available at http://www.workplace-media.com/findings-information-request.aspx .