Holiday shopping at work? Canadians admit to covert spending on the clock

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – With a whole host of stores right at our fingertips, do you find yourself taking some time at work to check off a few things on your holiday to-do list?

Instead of relying on letters to Santa, many of us are turning to the keyboard at the office.

It turns out, Canadians are planning a little multitasking of sorts, taking time out of our work day to fill our virtual shopping bags.

Robert Half Technology surveyed more than 500 Canadians, and says almost two-in-five say they will be shopping from the office or on a corporate device.

“Between planning for the holidays, fitting in social obligations and wrapping up major projects, year-end can be a stressful time for workers,” Deborah Bottineau, district director for Robert Half Technology, says in a news release. “Online shopping during the workday can be a helpful way to manage to-do lists and alleviate some of the pressures of the season.”

Some people surveyed even admit their productivity goes down when they’re looking for deals at work, about 21 per cent.

More than half of leaders in the tech world would rather employees just didn’t shop at work, with a high percentage of managers saying security risks are a main concern. However, 76 per cent of technology leaders said their firms allow it.

“Tech leaders should anticipate an increase in online shopping this time of year and make a proactive effort to refresh and communicate IT security policies with their teams,” Bottineau says. “Ensuring employees limit their browsing time and understand safe online practices can mitigate potential risks to the organization and help staff stay productive both at and outside of work.”

The survey also found employees 18 to 34 were are most likely to “workshop” (47 per cent), compared to those 35 to 53 (38 per cent) and 55 and older (17 per cent).

Robert Half Technology developed the online survey, and it was conducted by “independent research firms,” but it doesn’t specify which firms. More than 500 workers ages 18 and older working in office environments and 270 IT decision makers in Canada were surveyed.

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