Personal Internet Surfing at Work Costs Companies Over $300 Billion a Year According to a new survey by America Online and Salary.com, summarized by Dan Malachowski, the average
worker admits to wasting 2.09 hours per 8-hour workday, not including lunch and scheduled break-time. The survey indicates that employees are wasting about twice as much time as their employers
expect. Salary.com calculated that employers spend $759 billion per year on salaries for which real work was expected, but not actually performed.
The biggest distraction is personal
Internet use by 44.7% of the more than 10,000 people polled. Socializing with co-workers came in second at 23.4%. Conducting personal business, "spacing out," running errands, and making personal
phone calls were the other popular time-wasting activities in the workplace.
| Top Time-Wasting Activities | % of
Respondents |
1 | Surfing Internet (personal
use) | 44.7% |
2 | Socializing with co-workers | 23.4% |
3 | Conducting personal business | 6.8% |
4 | Spacing out
| 3.9% |
5 | Running errands off-premises | 3.1% |
6 | Making personal phone calls | 2.3% |
7 | Applying for other
jobs | 1.3% |
8 | Planning personal events | 1.0% |
9 | Arriving late / Leaving early | 1.0% |
10 | Other | 12.5% |
Source: AOL/Salary.com, June
2005 |
Employees say they're not always to blame for this wasted time, however. 33.2% of respondents cited lack of work as their biggest reason for
wasting time. 23.4% said they wasted time at work because they feel as if they are underpaid (if this applies to you, click on the Salary Wizard to find out what you are worth).
| Top Time-Wasting
Excuses | % of Respondents |
1
| Don't have enough work to do | 33.2% |
2 | Underpaid for amount of work | 23.4% |
3 |
Co-workers distract me | 14.7% |
4
| Not enough after-work time | 12.0% |
5 | Other | 16.7% |
Source: AOL/Salary.com, June 2005 |
According to a Salary.com follow-up survey of Human Resource managers, companies assume employees waste 0.94 hours per day, managers suspect that employees waste 1.6 hours per day,
but employees admit to wasting 2.09 hours per day. Salary.com's Senior Vice President Bill Coleman, says "To some bosses, that's a startling figure. Others, though, will view this extra wasted
time that may well have a positive impact on the company's culture, work environment, and even business results."
The Older People Are, The Less Time They Waste At Work:
Year of Birth | Time Wasted Per Day |
1930-1949 |
0.50 hrs. |
1950-1959 | 0.68 hrs.
|
1960-1969 | 1.19 hrs. |
1970-1979 | 1.61 hrs. |
1980-1985 | 1.95 hrs. |
Source: AOL/Salary.com, June 2005 |
The report concludes with The average yearly American salary is $39,795 per
year - or $19.13 per hour. If the average worker wastes 1.15 hours more than employers suspect, per 8-hour work day, that adds up to $5,720 per year, per worker in wasted salary dollars. So with the
American workforce 132 million (non-farm) employees strong, the total in lost salary dollars adds up to $759 billion per year.
More information about
the study results is here at salary.com.