Is Holiday Shopping Online Ok at Work? Survey Shows Less Companies Are 'Buying It'

Company Restrictions to Shopping Sites Climbs 19 Per Cent Since 2012

TORONTO, Nov. 11, 2014 /CNW/ - As Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach, a new Robert Half Technology survey suggests Canadian companies are less lenient when it comes to letting employees shop online during business hours. More than half (51 per cent) of chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed said their companies block access to online shopping – an increase of 19 per cent since 2012. Less than one in five (16 per cent) allow unrestricted access to shopping, while 30 per cent said they allow access but monitor activity for excessive use.

The annual survey is based on more than 270 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of Canadian companies. Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis.

The survey asked CIOs, "What is your company's policy regarding employees shopping online while at work?" Their responses over the past three years:

	2012	2013	2014
Block access to online shopping sites	32%	56%	51%
Allow access but monitor for excessive use	54%	25%	30%
Allow unrestricted access	12%	16%	16%
Other/don't know	3%	2%	3%
	100%	100%	100%

"As we head into the hectic holiday season, it's important to know your company's stance on online shopping during work hours," said Deborah Bottineau, senior regional manager of Robert Half Technology. "Read up on your company's internet policy before you grab a quick 15 minutes here and there on personal errands, like holiday shopping. It's in no-ones best interest to be flagged as someone who spends a lot of work time on shopping sites."

Robert Half Technology offers these tips for employees who are considering online holiday shopping at the office:

1. Learn the rules. Before you shop, make sure you're familiar with your company's web policy. Most employers have rules about sites or hours to avoid. If the policy is unclear, play it safe and save your shopping for before or after work.
2. Limit surfing. Unrestricted access to the Internet doesn't mean you should spend all of Cyber Monday searching for deals at your desk. If you plan to do the majority of your holiday shopping online and want to snag deals that day, take a personal day off.  Or conduct your browsing away from the office and limit your shopping activity to quick transactions when at work.
3. Log out of accounts. After you've completed your online holiday purchases at the work, remember to log out of your merchant accounts on your computer to protect your personal information.

About Robert Half Technology
With more than 120 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at rht.com. Follow Robert Half Technology at twitter.com/RobertHalfTech or visit our technology blog at blog.rht.com.

SOURCE: Robert Half Technology

Naz Araghian, 416.865.2140, [email protected]