By Maria Hanson, LiveCareer
When is falling asleep or knocking back a stiff drink just not OK? When you do it
at the office (or behind the wheel). But each day millions commit these common workplace
taboos -- and even more scandalous ones.
Not all workplace no-no's are created equal in terms of seriousness or consequences,
says executive recruiter and
career counselor Bruce Hurwitz. "Some taboos can be forgiven or raise concerns
about your well being. Others can result in immediate dismissal," he says.
A Harris Interactive Poll of 5,700 US workers found people confessing to all sorts
of questionable behavior at the office. Here are some of the top workplace taboos
they admitted to:
1. Falling asleep at work (45 percent) – Need a personal barista
to help you
stay awake at work? Snoozing on the job looks downright unprofessional and
is not generally appreciated by employers.
If you find yourself drifting off on a regular basis, it may mean that you need
a more stimulating and engaging career. Take a
free career interest test to find your ideal job.
2. Kissing a co-worker (39 percent) – This number shouldn't come
as a big surprise to anyone who has spent time in an office setting. According to
a Valentine's Day survey of more than 8,000 workers, 40 percent have dated a co-worker
-- about the same number that have kissed.
3. Stealing from the office (22 percent) – Ever wonder where people get the office
supplies they use at home? Chances are pretty good they pilfer at least some of
them from work. While the Harris survey indicates that only about one-fifth of workers
take office supplies, an OfficeMax Workplace Uncovered survey reveals what's
probably closer to the truth: A whopping 56 percent of workers confessed to taking
office supplies home. Top items were pens, pencils, and highlighters.
4. Taking credit for someone else's work (2 percent) – Stealing pencils from the
office is one thing. Stealing ideas from a co-worker and passing them off as your
own is quite another. Only 2 percent of employees in the Harris survey admitted
doing this. But in a survey by OfficeTeam, nearly 30 percent of workers say they've
had their
ideas stolen at work. (The huge gulf between the figures may be because
this is pretty hard taboo to admit; it's easier to talk about when you're the victim.)
Keeping your supervisor informed of your ideas and your progress is good preventative
medicine, say career experts.
5. Spreading a rumor about a co-worker (22 percent) – While some office gossip is
relatively harmless, spreading a rumor can be damaging not only to the subject ,
but also to the rumor-monger. Besides getting a bad reputation as an office gossip,
spreading rumors can even lead to a lawsuit. Whether you publish a falsehood verbally,
in writing, or on the internet, you could end up in a pricey defamation suit
6. Consuming alcoholic beverages while on the job (21 percent) – There was a time
when keeping a bottle in your desk drawer was almost de rigeur in some professions.
(Just watch any episode of Mad Men.) Now most companies have a zero-tolerance policy
for tippling in the office.
Still, more than one-fifth of the Harris survey respondents said they'd enjoyed
booze while on the job. A recent TV news investigation found that drinking on the
job was all too common among some New York City construction workers. One worker
they witnessed knocked back six cocktails in a half-hour!
7. Snooping after hours (18 percent) – While it's legal for many managers to access
employees' company emails and instant messages, not all office snoopers go through
legitimate channels. Nearly one-fifth of survey respondents said they'd snooped
around the office after hours.
The best way to foil these snoops? Log off your computer when you're not there,
change passwords frequently, have a clean-desk policy so there's nothing to find,
and use a good paper shredder for anything you'd like to keep from prying eyes.
8. Lying about an academic background (4 percent) – It seems every time you turn
around there's another story in the news about a power player tumbling off the corporate/academic
ladder because of lying about education on a resume. Just recently a top Texas A
& M University official resigned after it was revealed that he did not have the
doctorate he'd claimed to on his CV and that he hadn't been a Navy Seal.
If you are concerned that you don't have enough
education to meet your career goals, earning a real degree is a far better
bet than lying about one on your resume.
Don't be tempted to lie on your resume. Experts say at some point it will probably
catch up with you. Instead use a resume builder for help creating an accurate, impressive
resume that gets results.