Benefits September 14, 2006

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.
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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.

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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