Dive Brief:
- More than 40% of workers said it is very or somewhat common for employees to spend time on tax preparation during work hours, according to a new survey from Accountemps.
- Half of workers said it is equally as common for employees to use company resources like copiers, printers and scanners to work on personal income tax paperwork, the report found.
- Nearly one-third of companies addressed tax-related distractions by providing perks like discounts for financial software and services, Accountemps said.
Dive Insight:
It's not a novel concept: Employees spend a lot of time dealing with personal matters while on the clock. One study estimated that employees rack up more than eight hours each week on non-work tasks. Millennials check their phones every 20 minutes, according to another study. Taxes aren't the only seasonally-bound activity that tears employees' attention away from work; a CareerBuilder study found that 53% of workers shop online at work during the winter holidays.
Financial wellness and planning are among the newest perks businesses are offering to attract and retain talent. Employers have responded to workers' financial needs with access to financial tools and education — with the understanding that when workers are under financial pressure, they're less likely to work productively.