Personal Internet Use at Work: A Year-round Problem on the Rise?

PERSONAL INTERNET USE AT WORK A YEAR-ROUND PROBLEM ON THE RISE? A new CareerBuilder survey points to a year-round worker trend of increased personal Internet use at work, which is being met with employers tightening their online policies – and even taking serious measures – to stop it. E-shopping and browsing during breaks and lunch hours is expected, but when Web activity spills into work time, employees need to be mindful of their organization's policies and any potential consequences. BURNING UP THE CREDIT CARD CREDIT H0 shopping online at work this season, on par with UCn of American workers plan to spend time holiday in 2010. E-SHOPPING KNOWS NO AGE HOW MUCH TIME WILL ONLINE SHOPPERS SPEND E-SHOPPING? 57% 42% 34% 16% 4% of WORKERS AGES 25-44 will shop online this year at work. of WORKERS AGES 45+ will shop online this year at work. will spend TWO OR MORE OR MORE shopping online HOURS shopping online HOURS shopping online at work compared to will spend ONE HOUR will spend FIVE OR MORE at work compared to at work compared to 27% in 2010 13% in 2010. 5% in 2010. YOU'RE FIRED! % OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS SURVEYED HAVE FIRED AN EMPLOYEE FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPING. OH, (BIG) BROTHER 000000000 22% OF EMPLOYERS have fired 54% OF EMPLOYERS block employees from accessing certain websites. 50% OF U.S. COMPANIES monitor Internet and email use of employees, compared to 47% last year. someone for using the Internet for non-work related activity. BUT THEY STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR. 65% of workers SPEND AT LEAST SOME TIME conducting non-work related Web searches during the workday. 22% conduct non-work related searches AT LEAST FIVE TIMES A DAY. SOCIAL SMACKDOWN OF THIS GROUP: 56% OF WORKERS on social networks CHECK THEIR PROFILES during their typical work days - up from 49% in 2010. Around one i AT LEAST ONE HOUR A DAY BROWSING. seven spends WORKERS NEED TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL OF WHAT THEY POST ABOUT THEIR COMPANY PUBLICLY. 25% OF EMPLOYERS report adopting stricter policies during the last year in regard to employees communicating about company on social media. 32% OF EMPLOYERS prohibit employees from communicating about the company on social media, EMAIL: IT'S GETTING PERSONAL 61% Percent of workers who send non-work related emails during their typical workday (up from 59% in 2010). | 19% Percent of workers who send more than five personal emails a day. 8% Percent of employers report having fired someone for non-work related emails. 28% Percent of employers monitor emails – on par with 2010. careerbuilder This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactivee on behalf of CareerBuilder among 2,696 U.S. hiring managers and human resource professionals and 4,384 U.S. workers between August 16 and September 8, 2011.