In the lead-up to the holiday season, many employees may try to get a little online shopping done while on the clock, and according to a new Robert Half survey, they may not have to be quite as secretive as they used to be.
The survey found many more firms don’t mind their employees shopping online than even a year ago.
Interviews were conducted with 270 chief information officers from companies of 100 employees or more around the country, who were asked, “What is your company’s policy regarding employees shopping online while at work?”
In 2011, 57% of respondents said they blocked access to all online shopping sites completely. This year, that number had dropped to 32%.
Last year, 30% of those surveys responded that they would allow access but would monitor for excessive use – for 2012, the number increased to 54%.
“Many organizations are willing to offer more flexibility to their employees by permitting online shopping in the office during the busy holiday season,” said Lara Dodo, regional vice-president of Robert Half Technology in Canada.
Dodo said there is a practical reason for allowing staff to do their holiday shopping online.
“Allowing staff to tackle their personal to-do lists at work assists in maintaining overall productivity, as they are less likely to confront the long lineups and traffic delays that go along with holiday crowds.”
