But half would raid stationery cupboard if they ‘wouldn’t get caught’
More than a quarter of British workers have confessed to stealing items from their employers, according to the findings of a new poll.
Pens and staplers appeared to be the most coveted goods, as 79 per cent of the thefts involved stationery.
Plates and cutlery proved also a popular seizure, with 28 per cent of employees admitting to looting the office kitchen.
In a survey of 1,500 workers by manufacturing company Versapak, 27 per cent confessed to a case of sticky fingers at work. However, half of those canvassed said that they would steal things from their workplace if they could be certain they would not get caught.
Worryingly for businesses, the most daring 12 per cent of respondents claimed to have pinched over £1,000 worth of goods.
The main reason given for pocketing items was the belief that the company “wouldn’t miss it”, while others argued that they worked so hard it was “their right”. A smaller amount quipped it was simply an “opportunity to benefit”.
The other half of respondents stated that would never pinch office items because “stealing was wrong”. Although 57 per cent of those answering the survey confessed to witnessing security malpractice and not reporting it.
However, light fingered employees should be wary as half of workplaces were using surveillance cameras, found the research. A further quarter of organisations used ‘pass card entry’.
Leon Edwards, the group managing director of Versapak, commented: “The majority of employees are honest and hardworking, which seems to be evidenced by our poll. However, there is always the minority who are willing to push the boundaries and ‘take something back’ so to speak. And it seems that if they felt they weren't likely to get caught, this percentage increases.
“Workplace security should be of paramount importance to businesses,” he added. “The business, its customers and its own employees depend on working in a secure working environment.”