Stealing from the workplace: 10 ways we steal at work

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 707.

None of us would consider ourselves thieves, to be listed among the child molesters or the murderers or even dead beat dads who owe tons of back child support or corporate embezzlers. Most of us consider ourselves honest, hardworking middle class Americans who are loyal to their jobs, or at least make an honest day's pay, right? Well, maybe, maybe not so honest.

Have you ever made personal copies on the office copy machine? I have. We stole the paper and the ink. Stole, you say? Isn't that a little harsh? After all, what's a couple of copies? Well, a couple of copies, say 5 a week, give or take a bunch, over the course of a year, multiplied by 30 other employees doing the same thing, adds up to... well....a lot of copies and a lot of lost money.

Here are ten ways we steal at work:

– making personal copies;

– using the company's fax machine for personal use;

– taking longer coffee or smoke breaks. Do you take 15, 20 or 25 when you're supposed to take only 10 minutes?

– getting and making personal phone calls at work;

– running personal errands on company time. You know, running by the bank to deposit your check when you were on your way to the post office for your boss, or even worse, stopping at the dress shop to browse, while running errands for the office...tsk, tsk...

– making long distance phone calls, or using your company's cell phone for personal calls, tons of them;

– usurping company time for personal things such as....napping or daydreaming, doodling, painting your fingernails, reapplying makeup, snacking, balancing your checkbook, cleaning out your purse, listening to the ball game or watching TV, reading your romance novel, gabbing and gossiping;

– taking pens, paperclips, manila folders, rolls of tape, staples or stapler, ruler, stamps, whiteout, envelopes or paper for home and personal use;

– surfing the web, playing PC games such as solitaire, looking at porn...uhoh!

– taking a longer lunch break;

– getting to work late and leaving early but logging in and out on time. Ten minutes late, leaving 15 minutes early every day or so...just think about how those minutes add up! 20 minutes a day times five working days, almost two hours a week, after one year you will have gotten paid for 96 hours that you did NOT work! Now that's stealing!

Think about it. BE AN HONEST EMPLOYEE.

By Shannon Demick

F Do any of the issues discussed in the article apply to you?

How would you manage theft in the office if you were a BIG BOSS? Read the information provided in Additional Resources (p. 172) and discuss this topic with the group.