Internet Usage at Work

Do you use the Internet while at work? The graphs below compare Internet usage by gender of those individuals in the work place.

While this next graph takes statistics from a separate source, the percentages remain relatively unchanged, with male users reportedly accessing the Internet at work more often than female users.

What these statistics don’t show though is what type of use is taking place. While the Internet has allowed individuals to collaborate and access information at increased speeds, it also gives us immediate access to our own personal pleasures.

In 2007, the majority of users felt that their performance at the workplace had improved somewhat thanks to Internet access, with almost no one claiming it had worsened their performance a lot. The percentage of individuals who say their performance stayed the same has actually decreased from 2000 to 2007.

In general, it seems as if individuals have embraced technology to make workplace tasks more efficient. 53% of respondents said that mobile technology such as mobile phones, PDAs, and laptops have led to much better productivity, whereas only 2% claimed a worse work environment.

New technological innovations have always come with their fair share of pros and cons. While the Internet has revolutionized the way we communicate, how it effects workplace performance is a source of debate depending on which perspective you take.

Source: eMarketer, August 6, 2009