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Canadian offices may see productivity dip around Christmastime, with one in five employees planning to shop online at work, according to a survey released Tuesday.
Accountemps, a temporary staffing service, asked 539 officer workers late last month whether they were going to shop for presents on the Internet while at work this holiday season. The survey found that most would not, but the 21 per cent who said they would do so planned to spend nearly three hours checking off their holiday shopping list at the office.
Canadians have been flocking to online shopping in recent months, as the soaring loonie and persistently high prices at many Canadian retailers has them convinced there are better bargains south of the border. Rising gasoline prices and long lineups at many Canada-U.S. border crossings may also be convincing some shoppers to forgo the trip and make their holiday purchases from the comfort of their own home – and offices.
But Max Messmer, the chairman of Accountemps, warned that while it may be tempting for employees to browse cyberspace shopping sites at work, it often violates company policies. “Employees should familiarize themselves with their firm rules on acceptable Internet use during business hours and use good judgment in how they spend their time.”
He urged workers to plan ahead and perhaps request a few days off in order to have enough time to run their holiday errands. If the workload is lighter during the holidays, workers should use the lull to clear up clutter and update their contact lists to ensure a smooth return to work in January, Mr. Messmer said.
