UK workers are among the most honest in Europe, according to a survey published today.
Recruitment company Kelly Services said employees in the UK were generally more ethical in their behaviour at work than those in countries such as France, Germany and Spain. The claim followed a survey of 19,000 workers in 12 countries across Europe.

Researchers found that while 35% of Swiss workers felt it was acceptable to take office supplies home, only 14% of UK employees saw nothing wrong with stealing stationery, putting the UK alongside Russia at the bottom of the league of paperclip pilferers.

A third of UK workers (31%) said it was acceptable to use the internet for personal reasons during work time. This figure was the third lowest in Europe, and less than half that in Denmark, where 64% of workers said surfing at work was OK.

Some 21% of UK workers would use office software at home, but just 3% thought it was acceptable to use unlicensed software at work, the lowest figure in the study. In Russia, 29% of workers said using unlicensed software in the workplace was fine.