Are your employees addicted to the internet?

The Web@Work Survey 2001, conducted by researchers Taylor Nelson Sofres, was conducted among 800 employees across the UK, Italy, France and Germany.

According to the survey, UK companies are the most aggressive when it comes to reprimanding staff for inappropriate use of the Net. Employers in the UK were five times more likely to take disciplinary action than Italian employers and two-and-a-half times more likely to take action than their French or German counterparts.

The survey also found that while pornography is widely available on the internet and has been a public and visible concern to employers, employees are now using the web in much broader, different ways. For example, employees reported using the internet at work to book a holiday (52%), pursue education (42%), research a hobby (41%), visit a virtual shop (28%) or watch a sports event (27%).

Other findings from the survey include:-

• 52% of companies across Europe are doing nothing to address the issue of internet misuse. However, the percentages change depending on the country. For example, 67% of UK respondents said they have internet access policies in place, while only 33% of French companies report the same.
• 71% of workers feel that it is acceptable to have the internet managed at work, with the UK and Germans being most in favour.
• 73% of staff feel that it is acceptable to surf the web at work during breaks, but only half feel it is appropriate before or after official hours.

“The survey shows that the Internet is clearly a valuable business tool for employees, but at the same time it can be a distraction,” said Geoff Haggart, VP of Europe for Websense. “It also shows that companies need to strike a balance and be aware that employees do not object to having their internet access at work managed.”