Are your employees holiday shopping online?

While only a small number of professionals admitted they'll use company time to shop online this holiday season, they each plan on wasting an average of nearly three hours per week on this task, according to a survey.

Staffing firm Accountemps recently polled 539 workers 18 years and older who are employed in an office environment.

Although managers should take comfort in the fact that seventy nine per cent of professionals said they'll resist the urge to seek online bargains on company time, the 2.7 hours a week wasted per worker does add up.

The report offers some advice to employees on how to balance work and personal obligations this holiday season. First, it helps to know the corporate policies that define appropriate use of the Web, telephone, e-mail and instant messaging. So, get familiar with the rules or ask your manager for clarification.

Second, it might help to take a couple of vacation days to do your shopping. But avoid procrastinating and request your days off well in advance to ensure you actually get them.

Finally, give yourself the gift of organization. If work is light around the holiday season, then work ahead for the new year by tying up loose ends and eliminating clutter around your tasks.

Related Content

Prepare to plug your content security holes
Employees saving data on to portable storage devices could be sharing trade secrets or other confidential information with competitors. Companies could also put themselves at risk of lawsuits if employees copy sensitive personal or corporate information — on customers or workers

Canadian workers online shop less than U.S. counterparts
Twenty-one per cent of Canadian respondents say they will buy at work this holiday season

The IT pay squeeze – and how to survive it
For CIOs stuck in the salary squeeze, there’s no silver bullet. On-the-job challenges, stretch assignments, innovative environments, career development opportunities and creative approaches to work/life balance are all important, but ultimately, especially for top performers, money still talks.