Last Updated: 11/16/2006

 

LocalTel Business Content Web Filter

 
Employee Internet Abuse Startling Facts
 

These employee Internet abuse and monitoring statistics have been compiled from online sources including Business Week, American Management Association, ZDNet Interactive AOL,  Cyber Security Industry Alliance, Computer Security Institute, Vault.com, NFO Worldwide, Gartner Group, Websense, and  the FBI.

 
     Do Employees Use the Internet for Personal Use?
  64% of Employees admit to using the Internet for personal interest during working hours.
  2.09 hours per day is the amount of time the average employee uses internet for personal
    interests.
  49 minutes per day is the amount of personal Internet time Baby Boomers use per day.
  2.8 hours per day is the amount of personal Internet time Generation X'ers use per day.
  30 to 40% of Internet use in the workplace is not related to business.
 
     How do Employees Use the Internet for Personal Use?
  60% of all online purchases are made during working hours.
  46% of online holiday shopping takes place at work.
  70% of all pornography traffic occurs during the nine-to-five work day.
  37% of at-work internet users in the US had visited an X-rated Web Site from work
  37% of workers say they surf the web constantly at work
  32% of all e-mails sent at work are personal.
  37% of workers say they Instant Message or Web Chat all day long with non work related family
       members or friends. (47 minutes per day average)
  On Average, Workers Spend 21 hours a week online at work, and only 9.5 hours a week at home.
  32.6% of workers surf the net with no specific objective, men are twice as likely as women.
  44% of business employees actively use streaming media.
  62% of downloaded Music & Videos are done at work because of higher speed internet access.
  37% of employees report searching for jobs online at work.
  45% of employees report making travel arrangements while at work
  11% of employees report they play online games at work.
 
     How does Employee Abuse of the Internet affect Businesses?
  30% - 40% Loss of productivity.
  47.03 of 172 total hours per month of paid employee productivity.
  For a $40,000 per year employee, the average business will pay over $10,500.00 to the average
      employee for their personal use of the internet.
  27% of Fortune 500 companies have defended themselves from claims of sexual harassment
      stemming from inappropriate e-mails and internet use.
  Businesses could be liable for illegal downloads of pirated software, music or videos.
 
     Top 7 Reasons Employees Justify their Personal Abuse of the Internet?

1.

  There is no Internet use Policy in place, and I have never been instructed in what is an
  appropriate or inappropriate use of the Internet during working hours, it's managements fault.

2.

  I feel I am underpaid, and this is a way to get back at the company for underpaying me -
  I think I deserve it.

3.

  I feel so overwhelmed at work they use the internet to escape the stress.

4.

  I feel bored of the daily routine and this is my escape to something more stimulating.

5.

  No-one will ever know, so why not, after all everyone else is doing it.

6.

  No filtering or monitoring measures are in place to catch me.

7.

  I could never visit the sites at home that I do at work because: I would be embarrassed or my
  internet service is too slow, or my spouse or family would never let me, or I have no Internet
  service at home.