Employees' Holiday Shopping Causes IT Headaches
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Employees' Holiday Shopping Causes IT Headaches
CIOs and their teams are bracing for potential network or systems issues, thanks to the number of employees who do their online holiday shopping at work. -
Annual Tradition
49% of the employees surveyed said they typically shop in the office on Cyber Monday. -
Meal Plan
64% said they will use their lunch break to track down deals. -
Pleasant Distraction
43% of the respondents said they surf for bargains when they get bored with work. -
Shopping Day
39% have taken a day off to do their holiday shopping. -
Group Effort
17% of the respondents said they've shopped with co-workers while in the office. -
Packed Agenda
8% admitted that they've done holiday shopping while on conference calls, and 3% have even done so during in-person meetings. -
Favorite Tools
39% have used a work-issued computer to shop, and 17% have used personal mobile devices. About 25% have used both. -
Seek—and Then Hide
65% said they minimize their computer screens when a manager approaches them during an online shopping session. -
In the Dark
55% said their employer has never provided any information or training related to IT security and online shopping policies. -
No-Click Zone
One-third of the CIOs surveyed said their organization blocks employee access to online shopping.
It's the time of year when CIOs and their IT teams are bracing for potential network, systems or device issues, thanks to the number of employees who do their holiday shopping online when they're on the job, according to a recent survey from Robert Half Technology. A surprisingly high percentage of workers surreptitiously hunt for bargains on their lunch breaks. In some cases, this activity takes the form of a group event, as staffers pair up to surf and shop. Some even sneak in a purchase while taking part in conference calls and in-person meetings. Clearly, there is potential fallout with regard to IT operations, and it doesn't help that the majority of employees said they've never received any company information or training about technology policies or security concerns regarding online shopping. "Employees cannot adhere to policies they aren't aware of, so technology managers should continually reinforce their online shopping and internet security policies," said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology. "Right before the holiday shopping rush is an especially good time to discuss expectations and best practices with your teams." More than 1,400 North American CIOs and 1,400 employees took part in the research.