The poll gave office workers a series of scenarios and asked if they would, in that instance, inform the boss of the wrong doing.
Ten per cent admitted they would go to their manager with their concerns if a co-worker was not doing their contracted hours. Eight per cent said they would report a colleague if they were repeatedly late for work.
Just five per cent would inform a superior if they knew a colleague was pulling a sickie, with three per cent prepared to grass up a co-worker for checking their personal emails and social media at work.
A mere one per cent would report workmates for helping themselves to single items like a biro or envelope from the stationery cupboard.
Out of the 600 people surveyed, just two per cent actually confessed to having reported a fellow co-worker to their manager over a misdemeanour.
One person who took part in the poll commented: “Somebody would have to do something pretty bad for me to have to tell the boss about them.
“If I found out that someone was skiving I would probably inform my boss about it and I probably wouldn’t feel guilty either. Why should they be paid when they’re not at work, not ill and bunking off?”
Another respondent said: “I’m not one for causing trouble, but there are some people I work with who are so ambitious, they grass up colleagues for the smallest of offences.
“I knew one woman who was so determined to get a promotion that she would run straight to the boss for the smallest of things.
“You would only have to be a couple of minutes late for work and she’d be on to you like a hawk. When you think about it reporting your colleagues is just another form of sucking up to management and no one likes a brown-noser.”
A third added: “I’d never dream of telling tales on a colleague. I get on really well with the people I work with. If they’re a few minutes late, so be it – they make up the time at the end of the day.
“Colleagues have to support one another. A good working environment is a must – after all a lot of us spend more time in the office than at home.”
A spokesperson from SaleLand.co.uk commented: “Office camaraderie is such an important factor of working life. In fact a happy office is a more productive office.
“Teamwork is really important in today’s working environment, so grassing up your fellow colleagues for minor things is really un-helpful.
“Often people think that they’ll impress their boss by dishing the dirt on their co-workers – but so often this is not the case as no one likes a snitch. All it shows is that you can’t be trusted.”
