If you can’t access Amazon.com and other popular internet retailers, you work for a company on the extreme end of the spectrum of workplace shopping restrictions.

According to a survey of chief information officers by Robert Half, an employment consulting firm, 25 percent of CIOs say their companies have online restrictions to prevent employees from browsing for holiday deals at work. That’s down 8 percent from 2012.

Conversely, another 25 percent of CIOs reported that their companies do not impose any online shopping restrictions on workers. That’s up from 10 percent in 2012.

In the moderate middle are the 48 percent of CIOs whose companies don’t prohibit any specific sites but look out for excessive use.

Read: Bosses more likely to shop online at work

For companies, the calculation is pretty clear. They have to decide whether the potential distractions from shopping sites or the potentially damaging effect on morale from strict rules poses a greater threat to productivity.

For employees, the calculation is both practical and ethical. The survey of more than 1,000 employees included in the study showed that 30 percent feel guilty about shopping at work. But 28 percent say that taking a break from work to shop ultimately makes them more productive.

Nearly a third of employees said that their online shopping had caught the attention of a manager in the past. But only 15 percent of those caught said they were reprimanded, while 30 percent said that the interaction was in fact a positive shopping discussion.

"Many professionals appreciate the ability to get some quick online shopping done at work during the busy holiday season," said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology. "But employees should recognize that most companies keep tabs on their online activity. Professionals should follow safe and secure browsing practices, and keep distractions at work to a minimum."

Instant Insights /

What your employer thinks about online shopping at work

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