Employee Pilfering Fairly Common and Widespread

A recent survey by Spherion Corp and Harris Interactive reveals that 18 percent – or nearly one in five – employees have taken office supplies home over the past year. A full 10 percent do not believe there is anything wrong with the practice. The survey also showed the youngest workers (18 to 29) were the most likely to report recent office supply thefts.

Obviously, we're never going to condone any type of thievery. While taking an occasional legal pad or staple remover isn't likely to bankrupt your employer, we want to remind you that most of us are employed "at will," which means we can be fired for any reason or no reason at all. And while firing someone over a pad of Post-it notes is probably extreme, if you're on the cusp of a promotion, this could be just enough reason to raise doubts about your integrity and sway your employer to pass you over.

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