Staff using the internet for personal reasons costs the UK economy £10.6 billion a year, new research shows.
According to a study by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the average worker spends 90 minutes a week surfing the web.
John Cridland, the CBI's director-general, stated that while personal internet use can boost morale, managers should be aware of the amount of money it can cost because of reduced productivity.
He said: "Nobody wants to behave like Big Brother and there is no epidemic of misuse, but there needs to be a bit of give-and-take from all parties.
"Employers need to decide for themselves what level of non-work surfing is acceptable and then set out clear boundaries."
The study found that 54 per cent of companies currently restrict internet access in some way, with 14 per cent banning it totally.
However, research conducted by PopCap Games and Goldsmiths University's Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic suggested that allowing staff a ten-minute online break during their day could boost productivity.
