Internet misuse causes drop in productivity

A
new generation of web-enabled employees are using their new skills to fritter
away the working day, with recruitment consultants among the worst offenders.

A
poll of 1,000 workers has found that more than 62 per cent admitted using the
internet for personal reasons, with almost a third browsing for no specific
reason.

The
problem has become so serious that it now accounts for almost 35 per cent of
lost productivity in the office.

Milan
Vjestica, who conducted the research for IT security firm Cyber Project, urged
managers to prevent staff from aimlessly surfing the web by restricting
personal use to outside working hours.

Top
10 online time wasters

Ad
agency designers                5
hours
Insurance brokers                     4.5 hours
Solicitors                                   4 hours
Accountants                             4 hours
IT consultants                           3.5 hours
Banking employees                   3.5 hours
Recruitment consultants             3 hours
Sales executives                        3 hours
Journalists                                 2.5 hours
Administrators                          2 hours

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By Ross Wigham