Workers Tattle About Colleagues' Wasted Time

September 14, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A new survey reveals a majority of workers say their colleagues waste work time every day shopping online, sending personal emails, making personal phone calls, and playing computer games.

According to a report on the InformationWeek Web site, 69% of workers polled said their co-workers spend from less than 30 minutes to more than two hours every work day using company technology for personal reasons.

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More specifically, according to the news report, the Attitudes in the American Workplace poll found:

  • 27% of respondents said colleagues spend less than 30 minutes each workday goofing off online;
  • 19% said co-workers waste 30 to 59 minutes each day;
  • 13% said co-workers waste 60 to 89 minutes daily;
  • 2% said co-workers misuse 1-1/2 to under 2 hours each workday, and
  • 8% said co-workers waste more than 2 hours daily.

Only 15% of respondents said co-workers waste no time each day using technology at work.

Meanwhile, almost a third of US workers admitted to shopping online while at work. Men (33%) and women (34%) almost equally admit to shopping online during work hours. However, workers with higher incomes were more likely to have shopped online from work. Forty-one percent of employees earning $75,000 a year or more admitted to the task, while only 24% of workers earning $20,000 admitted so.

The poll was conducted by Harris Interactive for the Marlin Company, a workplace communications firm.

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