Caution Urged For Those Who Shop At Work

Shopping online for holiday bargains probably isn't part of your job description. But employers know that's what a lot of people will be doing at work.

A new survey by Robert Half Technology suggests workers should proceed with caution if trying to sneak in some on-line browsing and shopping on the job.

Nearly half the companies interviewed say they block online shopping sites, another one-third say they allow access but monitor for escessive use.

Those companies with somewhat liberal policies say the expect employees to spend an everage of 3 hours a week, grabbing online deals while at work this holiday season.

"Many companies monitor computer use, and excessive shopping is a red flag that could put someone's job at risk," said John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology, in a statement. "Even if employers allow online shopping, employees should use good judgment and not abuse the privilege."

Robert Half Technology offers four tips to shop wisely in cyberspace this holiday season:

1.Know your limits. Some employers permit online shopping, within reason. Know your company's policy, including sites or hours to avoid, before bargain-hunting on the Web.

2.Prevent personal information from being 'shoplifted.' If a holiday offer looks too good to be true, it likely is. Avoid clicking on links or sites that could infect your company's network with phishing attacks or viruses.

3.Buy rather than browse. Your employer may allow online shopping, but not at the expense of your job duties. A liberal computer use policy is not a license to spend all day filling your shopping cart.

4.Score some deals after work. If you have projects that require immediate attention, save your holiday shopping for the evening or weekend. No online promotion is worth putting your career at risk.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the United States with 100 or more employees.