1 in 7 remote workers use sneaky tactics to engage in extra activities

One in seven employees who WFH are doing more than just work – with a survey revealing exactly what we’re all getting up to during office hours.

Ditching the office in favour of remote work gave employees time to scroll through social media, shop online, run chores and even have sex while on the clock, according to a recent survey.

The extra-curricular activities resulted in one in seven employees logging just three to four hours of actual work, according to the survey of 1000 US-based remote workers by travel points-savvy advice site Upgraded Points.

The multi-tasking included 10.5 per cent who admitted to a “nooner” during their shift and 11.8 per cent who drank on company time, The New York Post reports.

Other nonwork-related activities included 71.6 per cent who did household chores, 37.4 per cent who ran errands, 24 per cent who took a power nap and 23 per cent who went to the doctor, the survey found.

The survey also found that 74.7 per cent scrolled through social media, 69.6 per cent shopped online, 52.9 per cent watched movies and 32.2 per cent planned a trip.

One in 7 remote workers use sneaky tactics to engage in extra activities. Picture: iStock

Gen Z evade work with sneaky move

Meanwhile, three in 10 remote workers who busy themselves with ancillary activities evade their boss by occasionally moving their mouse around so their status shows “active” rather than “away” or “offline,” the study found.

Upgraded Points found that Gen Z is the generation most likely to employ the tactic at 50.7 per cent.

Survey results also showed that remote workers are often working from places other than their homes.

While most work from their home, 13.7 per cent prefer reporting to a local coffee shop while 12.4 per cent go to a friend’s house and 4.2 per cent spend their workdays at a co-working space.

Meanwhile, 5.6 per cent of remote workers “go to work” in airports, while 3.0 per cent do the same from aeroplanes.

These include shopping, household chores and even sex on the clock. Picture: iStock

Workforce feel more productive

Despite the seeming distractions, two-thirds of the workers said they feel they’re more productive when free from office mandates.

To spend less time doing non-work activities, bosses may want to consider shortening the work week as 80 per cent of respondents said they would spend more time on assigned tasks if they only had to work four days each week.

In the US, Panasonic and clothing exchange site thredUP are two of 10 based companies to adopt a four-day work week, citing productivity, reduced overhead and talent retention as reason for the move

Many want to adopt four-day weeks. Picture: iStock

Oxfam Australia was the first company Down Under to adopt a four-day week trial with full pay. Family-owned business EES Shipping in Perth have also recently jumped on the bandwagon.

In the UK, a total of 61 businesses with roughly 2900 employees tested a four-day schedule from June through November of last year.

Of them, a whopping 91 per cent said they were definitely continuing to follow a four-day schedule or were planning to continue, the study’s organisers said. Just 4 per cent of the companies said they were returning to a five-day-per-week schedule.

This article originally appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission