As the line between our home and work lives becomes increasingly blurred, the phenomenon of employees utilising their work computers for personal use has garnered significant attention.
Despite measures such as surveillance software aimed at tracking productivity, many individuals are utilising their office desktops, laptops, or mobile devices for activities unrelated to work, including accessing explicit material.
A recent study conducted by 247 Solitaire, an online solitaire company, sheds light on this prevalent practice, raising ethical concerns and highlighting potential cybersecurity risks.
To compile this study, 247 Solitaire analysed independent research findings alongside data from Google Trends to identify the top 10 non-work uses for office computers.
- Sending and Receiving Personal Emails: According to survey data, a staggering 53% of workers utilise their work devices to access personal email accounts, engaging in communication unrelated to their job responsibilities.
- Reading News Articles: Approximately 52% of employees use company-issued devices to peruse news articles unrelated to their professional duties, consuming content during work hours.
- Shopping Online: Surprisingly, 38% of employees engage in online shopping activities using their work devices, exposing sensitive personal information such as home addresses and banking details to potential security risks.
- Playing Online Games: A notable 33% of respondents confessed to playing video games on their work PCs, with a staggering 80% of them engaging in gaming activities during official work hours.
- Streaming Music: Research indicates that 25% of employees stream music from their work computers, contributing to a significant portion of workers who listen to music while on the job.
- Streaming Videos: Following closely behind music streaming, 24% of workers admit to streaming videos or movies from their work computers, further blurring the line between work and leisure.
- Accessing Personal Social Media Accounts: One in four workers acknowledges logging into their personal social media accounts using work devices, a practice that increases to 80% when including individuals who use personal devices for the same purpose.
- Downloading Software: A concerning 28% of workers download and install software on their work devices for personal use, potentially exposing company networks to various cyber threats such as viruses and malware.
- Using a WiFi Hotspot: Nearly 7% of employees utilise work devices to create WiFi hotspots, leveraging company data and bandwidth for personal activities on their personal devices.
- Viewing Pornography: Alarmingly, 5% of American men admit to accessing explicit material using their work computers, with the percentage rising to 20% when considering employees who access such content from any device during work hours.
This research was conducted by 247 Solitaire, dedicated to providing educational insights into non-work computer usage in the workplace. The research has unearthed some alarming trends regarding non-work usage of office computers:
- A staggering 80% of respondents engage in online gaming activities during official work hours, potentially impacting productivity and focus.
- Shockingly, 1 out of 20 American men openly admits to accessing explicit content on their work computers, highlighting ethical concerns and potential legal ramifications.
- Additionally, a concerning 28% of workers download and install software on their work devices for personal use, posing significant cybersecurity risks to company networks.