Summary:
Many people pocket a few pens, Post-its, or pads of paper from the office to take home. Is pinching office supplies an action employers expect, a job perk, or a crime? To get workers' opinions, NBC News talked to the "employee on the street." Many people confessed to taking pens and pencils, a notepad or two, a hole puncher, scissors, tape, and even food from the unit refrigerator. Some employees said they stole things by accident, while one justified taking paint and other art supplies as just desserts in her unpaid internship in the design department.
Office supplies top the list of stuff stolen from workplaces. Items that disappear most often are pens and pencils, sticky notes, and paper clips. A survey for Lawyers.com by Harris Interactive found that 58 percent of nearly 2,400 U.S. employees admitted they took such office supplies from work.1 Some workers heist heftier things like plants, paintings, and office furniture. Some go for more expensive goods, such as computers, software, and books. Most damaging to employers and far more serious are thefts of intellectual property and classified information.
Discussion Questions:
- Is it stealing to take office supplies from your workplace?
- At what point does employee theft become grounds for firing?
Share with your peers: Ethical or Unethical. Why or why not?
- Calling in sick when you really are not.
- Trying to flirt your way out of a speeding ticket.