Survey: 76% of employees in Estonia handle personal matters during working hours — ERR News

In Estonia, 76% of participants in a survey by the job search platform CV.ee said they handle personal matters during the working day. More than one thousand people took part in the study, ERR News reports.

The most common personal matters

Most often, respondents use working hours to visit a doctor or deal with other health-related matters: 74% of those surveyed gave this answer. Another 66% read or send personal emails, while 41% spend time on social media.

Study participants also mentioned trip planning and bookings — 28%, child-related matters — 24%, and going to the store — 24%. Some 22% of respondents handle household tasks during working hours, including cleaning or repairs, or shop in online stores.

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Dependence on the situation and company culture

According to 51% of those surveyed, the possibility of handling personal matters during working hours should be assessed depending on the specific situation and corporate culture. CV.ee marketing and communications specialist Gertu Matikainen noted that a doctor's visit, taking a child to kindergarten, or other urgent responsibilities cannot always be postponed until non-working hours.

At the same time, a flexible approach should provide for clear boundaries so that personal matters do not interfere with work tasks. According to the survey, such flexibility can also work in the opposite direction: slightly less than half of participants read work emails every day even while on vacation.