U.S. workers slacking
(Wednesday July 13th, 2005)

That means companies spend as much as $759-billion (U.S.) on salaries annually for which they receive no apparent benefit, the research found. The No. 1 state for wasting time was Missouri, where workers who responded to the survey reported slacking off three hours and 12 minutes a day.

The survey didn't specifically look at why Missouri is the worst in the nation, but if Missouri workers think the perception is unfair, "We would encourage people to visit the home page and weigh in further on that," said Richard Cellini, Salary.com's head of research.

Missouri's governor Matt Blunt responded to the survey in a statement: "Nobody can match the work ethic of Missourians. This survey, which our busiest citizens did not want to waste their time on, cannot undermine decades of experience. Missouri workers are among the most productive in the world."

The Missouri Department of Economic Development said a study it published last year on the industries driving the state economy found Missouri employees hard at work.

"It appears to me the Missouri worker is equal to, or slightly higher, in productivity than other workers across the nation in most of the industries (the Missouri study) looked at," said department spokeswoman Kristi Jamison.

The America On-line and Salary.com survey found the workers' top excuses for wasting time nationwide were not enough work or inadequate for the work they do. To read more, click here.

Source: Betsy Taylor, Associated Press