Odiham UK – 17 December 2009 – The digital generation is placing office networks across the UK under pressure in the run up to Christmas, according to network integration specialist Telindus.  Office workers aged 18 to 24 years old will be taking it easy in the workplace, with a fifth admitting to watching re-runs of reality TV shows such as X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing on their PCs or laptop and uploading Christmas party photos on Facebook and Twitter.

The online study of 1,110 office workers surfing habits in the weeks before Christmas revealed that online shopping has become a popular office pastime. More than half (54 per cent) of 25 to 35 year olds with internet access will be  purchasing or researching gifts for families and friends when working in the office, followed by almost half (47 per cent) of 18 to 24 year olds.  Women proved to be the biggest online shopaholics, with 45 per cent admitting to seasonal surfing compared to just 39 per cent of men.

 

“While office managers nationwide will want to avoid being known as Ebenezer Scrooge during the festive period,  staff doing their shopping, streaming TV shows and uploading images to social networking sites during work hours will result in a sluggish corporate network,” said Mark Hutchinson, Managing Director of Telindus. “The challenge faced by bosses is allowing staff personal internet time without jeopardising the bandwidth required for business applications. With the increasing popularity of video content, managing and assigning bandwidth appropriately is a problem that occurs all year round and businesses need to start looking at tools that enable them to address these issues.”

While the digital generation of 18 to 24 year olds using company networks to spread some Christmas cheer, sending electronic cards (10 per cent) and Facebook gifts (seven per cent), 25 to 34 year old office workers are more concerned with keeping abreast of festive travel disruptions. With thousands of rail passengers facing the prospect of delays during Christmas and New Year*, a quarter of this age group will be keeping track of  updates, costs and purchasing tickets while at work.

 

Christmas surfing habits vary from region to region:
• Londoners are the most loathe to hit the high street with more than half  (52 per cent) of office workers doing their shopping online, compared to 42 per cent nationwide
• London’s office workers are the most avid travel watchers, with a quarter keeping track of disruptions and ticket prices while in the office
• 19 per cent of Welsh office workers will be sending electronic Christmas cards, compared to just eight per cent of people nationwide
• Office workers in the East Midlands are the most likely to upload Christmas party photos to Facebook or Twitter (14 per cent compared to the nationwide average of nine per cent)