The Top Six Workplace Taboos

Kissing co-workers, consuming alcoholic beverages, and spreading rumors about colleagues are all considered workplace taboos, according to a new survey. 35% of those workers surveyed admitted to kissing a co-worker on the job, and 31% have consumed alcohol while on the clock. Spreading rumors seems to be a favorite of 19% of people surveyed.

Some think that since more and more offices are supporting a “casual environment”, employees are developing a sense of informality. Employees should make certain that they are aware of the company policies, and their superiors, i.e., managers, supervisors, and team leads, should make sure that they are adhering to them.

Certain industries reported engaging in office taboos more frequently than others. For example, nearly two-thirds (63%) of government workers admit to having fallen asleep on the job, compared to just 31% of all retail workers. 25% of hospitality workers snooped around the office after hours, compared to 15% of healthcare employees.

Let’s see how some office taboos have affected certain industries. 

1. Falling Asleep at Work.
   42% of Americans have admitted to falling asleep at work. 41% of sales representatives have snoozed on the clock, along with over 51% of all information technology (IT) workers surveyed. Another 43% of healthcare and hospitality workers have dozed off at their desks, along with 41% of those employed in banking and finance. 
   
   
2. Kissing a Co-Worker.
   More than half (52%) of hospitality workers and 38% of all retail workers have smooched with a co-worker, according to the survey. Just 33% of education workers have puckered up compared to nearly half (47%) of IT workers. 
   
   
3. Drinking Alcohol on the Job.
   In February 2007, CBS 2 News launched a hidden camera investigation that caught several construction workers drinking beer and whiskey on their lunch break before heading back to work. Despite safety issues and the lack of concentration after drinking, startling percentages of workers have tipped the bottle on the job. Sales representatives led the industries surveyed with 30% of workers admitting to knocking back a few at work. 26% of banking and finance employees have drank on the job, along with just 12% of healthcare workers. 
   
   
4. Stealing from the Office.
   21% of Americans have admitted to stealing from the office. All industries surveyed admitted to stealing from the office within 5% of each other, ranging from 21% of healthcare workers to 26% of education employees, with the exception of retail workers, who reported 15%. 
   
   
5. Spreading Rumors about a Co-Worker.
   Gossiping about co-workers is no minor offense. In May 2007, four workers with 46 years of experience between them were fired for gossiping and starting rumors about a colleague and the town administrator. 39% of government employees plead guilty of the same crime, according to the survey. 25% of sales representatives have fed the rumor mill in their offices, while only 12% of IT workers have done so. 
   
   
6. Snooping after Hours.
   Apparently 17% of Americans have said that they’ve snooped around the office after hours. According to the survey, retail workers were least likely to snoop after hours, with only 14% of those surveyed having done so. Government employees led the industries with 26% of employees having poked around after hours.

Lying about one’s academic background constitutes 4%, and taking credit for someone else’s work describes 2% of American workers surveyed. Does anyone worry about “Big Brother” anymore?