Four in five British employees have taken property from work or exaggerated expense claims, according to research by insurer Royal and Sun Alliance (R&SA).
The YouGov survey of 1,960 people found that 82 per cent admitted to taking something from work, with items ranging in value from laptops to simple office stationery. However, even the latter could be costing UK employers dear, with the survey suggesting one million take minor items from work every week.
Almost 1 in 7 employees has claimed they worked more overtime than they did or made false or exaggerated expense claims. Jon Woodman, trading director at R&SA, said, ?Our research has shown that taking work property home and making false claims are very common in the workplace.
?Per worker, thefts are mostly of small items, but given that 82 per cent of people who work have admitted to pilfering from the workplace, the overall impact on a business could be significant.
?As an insurer, we take theft very seriously and advise businesses to be aware of the actions of their employees. Policies can be enforced which encourage employers to respect company property or sign in and out materials such as laptops.?
Source: People Management Magazine
