Business Articles

7th December 2007
Robinsons Solicitors

Businesses urged to net their online shoppers

Stephen Woolley, Head of Employment Law and Dispute Resolution at Derby based Law Firm Robinsons Solicitors.

Businesses are being urged to remind their staff about their internet policy to prevent employees wasting company time by doing their online Christmas shopping at work.

The festive shopping season is in full swing and more than 27 million people are expected to buy their goods over the internet this year, spending an estimated £1.8bn.

Leading Derby law firm Robinsons Solicitors is warning companies that, according to research, many such employees will spend their money in work time, with 45 per cent of UK workers admitting to shopping over the internet from their desks.

In the run up to Christmas, it is estimated that an astonishing 28.7m work hours will be spent this way and Stephen Woolley, Head of Employment Law and Dispute Resolution at Robinsons, says companies should look at taking steps to make sure that productivity is not affected.

This could involve reminding employees of internet policy or, if they have not drawn up a policy, drafting some guidelines or setting a limit on the time employees can spend online.

Stephen Woolley added: "Individuals may think that spending a few minutes on the internet doing their shopping is harmless, but collectively, their action loses UK companies millions of pounds each year.

"Businesses should already have a clear internet use policy and should communicate it regularly to their staff. You are not being Scrooge if you remind staff of what is acceptable and what the consequences are for breaking the policy."

A sound company internet policy should start with a disclaimer that warns employees against the potential dangers of the internet and protects the company from liability for any material viewed or downloaded.