9th June 2008
Office employees in the UK spend on average 95 minutes each week on personal web surfing, according to their employers.
The research, conducted for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), revealed that 60% of employers believe staff regularly use office time to browse the internet. Among the non-work websites workers visited were those for shopping, social networking and web-based email.
Although the employers estimated the time lost at 4.4% of the working week - some 95 minutes - many said that they accept the importance of internet access for employee morale. While over half (54%) of the 503 public and private sector organisations quizzed restricted internet use, only 14% blocked access altogether. A quarter placed no restrictions on access.
"Employers understand that the internet has become a part of everyday life and are prepared to be flexible," said CBI deputy director-general John Cridland. "Many firms feel that, as long as the job gets done, there is no problem with staff surfing for personal use."
"Nobody wants to behave like Big Brother and there is no epidemic of misuse, but there needs to be a bit of give-and-take from all parties. Employers need to decide for themselves what level of non-work surfing is acceptable and then set out clear boundaries."
Employees 'spend 95 minutes a week' surfing web
The research, conducted for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), revealed that 60% of employers believe staff regularly use office time to browse the internet. Among the non-work websites workers visited were those for shopping, social networking and web-based email.
Although the employers estimated the time lost at 4.4% of the working week - some 95 minutes - many said that they accept the importance of internet access for employee morale. While over half (54%) of the 503 public and private sector organisations quizzed restricted internet use, only 14% blocked access altogether. A quarter placed no restrictions on access.
"Employers understand that the internet has become a part of everyday life and are prepared to be flexible," said CBI deputy director-general John Cridland. "Many firms feel that, as long as the job gets done, there is no problem with staff surfing for personal use."
"Nobody wants to behave like Big Brother and there is no epidemic of misuse, but there needs to be a bit of give-and-take from all parties. Employers need to decide for themselves what level of non-work surfing is acceptable and then set out clear boundaries."
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