As the Internet continues to pervade all aspects of society, businesses
are steadily moving to the Web, and so, it seems, are their employees. The Internet and
other e-services have an increasingly powerful - but largely unstudied -impact in the workplace.
Employers are uncertain how to respond to their employees' Web savvy. Some employers view Web
surfing as the great "unseen scourge" that distracts employees and saps productivity, while others
are less threatened by their employees' access to the Web. Some employees see the Internet as a
valuable research tool, while others welcome it as a means to visit sites of personal interest or
chat with pals. In recognizing the increasing presence of the Internet in the workplace,
Vault.com, the Workplace NetworkTM, decided to get the "inside" story about the practices
and attitudes relating to the issue.
We are proud to present the first comprehensive survey of Internet use in the workplace.
In September 1999, Vault.com surveyed 1,244 employees and 1,438 employers to determine how Web surfing
and e-mail use affects productivity and quality of life at work. The following results, and the
comments provided by respondents, shed light on this controversial but heretofore unexamined issue.
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