'Workshopping' Employees Go Full Tilt.

The Internet makes it easy to shop around the clock, and many workers will be shopping on the clock for the holidays. Research from staffing firm Robert Half Technology, Menlo Park, Calif., shows 52% of employees will be "workshopping"--that is, shopping online from the office or while using a corporate device. Of those respondents, 44% admit that surfing for deals hinders their on-the-job productivity.

In a separate survey, 77% of technology leaders indicate that their firm allows workshopping, but 52% prefer that employees abstain from the activity. Security risks (59%) and loss of productivity (34%) were cited...