British office workers will conduct much of their Christmas shopping from their desks, it has been revealed. The average employee will spend at least one hour a day buying and researching gifts for friends and family without even leaving the office.
Indeed, two thirds of those polled class a bit of Christmas shopping as a break from the daily grind, while 39% are confident their boss is in on the act and knows what is going on.
Four in 10 workers simply don’t have time to do the shopping anywhere else, with a third of workers blaming the long working day for their inability to get to the high street or mall.
A further 24% feel more inspired about presents ideas while at work, and 12% say, even in the age of technology, it is the only place where they have access to a computer.
Three in 10 say logging on at work to do the Christmas shop is simply the quickest way to get things done.
Kate O’Brien, Marketing Director for Daisy Group said:
“It appears there has been a shift change in shopping habits with many people avoiding the hustle and bustle of the busy high street and with British people working far longer hours, we weren’t surprised to discover that many are resorting to carrying out personal admin tasks in the office.
“Shopping online is more customer-friendly than ever before and with much faster broadband speeds and great online deals, it simply makes it a more efficient option for many.”
The study shows more than a third of workers outsource their ideas for presents, relying on colleagues for advice about what to buy friends and family.
A fifth have even let their colleagues choose presents for people if they couldn’t make the final decision themselves.
Incredibly, half of all people polled claimed co-workers have chosen gifts for their partner, 48% have sorted out gifts for mom while 21% have chosen dad’s present.
Two thirds of people admit they find it incredibly convenient being able to dip in and out of websites whenever they get a spare five minutes at work, but 12% of cheeky employees have taken things a step too far and even bought Christmas presents while in the middle of an important meeting.
A further fifth have splashed the cash on gifts when they should have been working towards a tight deadline, and six in 10 don’t restrict their shopping habits to their designated lunch break.
The study shows a third of workers buy more of their Christmas presents at work than anywhere else.
A third of people admit they can’t easily get to the shopping mall, and 21% prefer to spend any spare time they have relaxing rather than shopping.
Kate O’Brien from Daisy Group continues:
“It’s a real sign of the times that a third of workers are now simply too busy to get to the high street and shows that shoppers really do need the convenience and speed that online shopping offers them.”
