90% of higher managerial roles admit to online shopping during work hours in the run up to Christmas
The race has started, will you get all your shopping done in time for Christmas? Officeology has asked a poll of 1,000 respondents in the UK with part and full-time jobs:
“In the run up to Christmas, how often do you do online shopping and/or browse during work hours?”
| Everyday | 14% | ||
| 1-2 times a week | 24% | ||
| 3-4 times a week | 21% | ||
| When I’m not busy | 16% | ||
| When the boss or a colleague isn’t looking | 2% | ||
| Never | 22% | ||
- 77% of workers admit to online shopping during work hours with almost 1 in 4 shop online at least once a week.
- Whilst more than 1 in 10 admit to online shopping everyday during these times.
Higher managerial roles and directors of medium or large companies (50+ people) are more likely to spend their workday online shopping (90%). In fact, 1 in 4 respondents in this role admit to online shopping every day in the run-up to Christmas – more than any other profession.
And these are the regions where employees spend the most time online shopping during work hours…
| Scotland | 90% |
| London | 89% |
| Wales | 84% |
| South-East | 79% |
| North-West | 77% |
| Eastern | 76% |
| West Midlands | 73% |
| North-East | 72% |
| Yorkshire & The Humber | 71% |
| South-West | 70% |
| East Midlands | 68% |
| Northern Ireland | 65% |
- 90% of Scots online shop during their shift – more than any other region.
- Londoners rank close second with 89% of employees admitting to setting time aside to shop.
Finally, we inquired on what Secret Santa gift people really want to receive this year…
| Alcohol | 40% | ||
| Food (e.g. chocolate, hamper) | 37% | ||
| Candle or wax melts | 31% | ||
| Money (e.g. Budget send back in card) | 30% | ||
| Beauty products (eg. perfume, make-up) | 30% | ||
| Scratch card | 24% | ||
| Bath products (eg. bath bombs, gift sets) | 24% | ||
| Plant | 17% | ||
| Mug | 15% | ||
| Gift for your pet | 15% | ||
| Football team related gift | 14% | ||
| Erotic toy (e.g. underwear, edible candy, blow up doll) | 12% | ||
- Alcohol is the most wanted gift, with 2 in 5 people hoping to receive this under the office tree.
- Food gifts rank as a close second contender.
- Although people also wouldn’t mind the budget sent back to them in a Christmas card.
When considering budgets, the most popular response (34%) was £6-£10, whilst a quarter of respondents are happy to spend £11-£15 on a Secret Santa gift.
On the other hand, the worst Secret Santa gifts to receive are…
| Erotic toy (e.g. underwear, edible candy, blow up doll) | 28% | ||
| Bath products (eg. bath bombs, gift sets) | 27% | ||
| Football team related gift | 22% | ||
| Candle or wax melts | 20% | ||
| Alcohol | 19% | ||
| Beauty products (eg. perfume, make-up) | 16% | ||
| Scratch card | 15% | ||
| Mug | 14% | ||
| Plant | 14% | ||
| Gift for your pet | 13% | ||
| Food (e.g. chocolate, hamper) | 13% | ||
| Money (e.g. Budget send back in card) | 11% | ||
- Although joke presents often prove an easy get-out, perhaps avoid anything erotic this year – these rank as the worst gift amongst respondents.
- Bath related gift sets may also be an easy buy, but over a quarter (27%) of people say this is the second worst Secret Santa gift to receive.
- Surprisingly, football fanatics don’t want their team’s logo on any kind of merchandise either (22%).
41% of respondents said they enjoy taking part in Secret Santa, whilst 7% don’t enjoy it but take part anyway.
