NORTH West bosses estimate they are losing an average of 11.5 working days a year through unauthorised internet surfing and workers writing e-mails to their friends.
The findings feature in the latest Grant Thornton Business Barometer which also revealed that firms in this region are losing up to nine working days each year to sick leave and unauthorised absence.
Figures show the amount of time lost to rogue surfing and unauthorised e-mailing has increased from eight days when businesses were surveyed in 2001. But the amount of days lost to sick leave and unauthorised absence has actually come down from more than 10 working days in 2001.
Employees working for companies based in the M6 corridor are the worst offenders for unauthorised e-mailing and non-work related internet surfing, spending almost 14 unauthorised days per year online.
The rise in estimated lost time due to unauthorised internet usage and personal e-mailing has corresponded with an increase in the number of companies now monitoring employee usage of technology.
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