Two-thirds of Americans watch online video at work

Video-hostig firm Wistia has converted the data from a study of over 2,500 online Americans by Qumu into an infographic that reveals the online video watching habits of Americans at work.

Incredibly, over two-thirds of respondents admitted to watching online video at work, men moreso than women (half vs. a third). While the majority of video content consumed at work comprises news clips (17%), viral (15%) and social (12%) took up nearly as much time. A few (4%) even had time to watch a feature-length film, 1% more than those that admitted to watching porn.

So how are these video-watching employees getting away with it during work hours? The most common way to avoid detection among respondents is to secrete a mobile device beneath the desk (63%), assumedly with earphones attached. For 42% the preferred place to peek at online video is in the bathroom while 35% attempt to hide their device in a work folder.

Some (8%) are so desperate to check out an online video at work they pretend to tie their shoe laces to have a gander. I can only assume that these aren't the ones watching feature-length online video. Another 6% try to cause a distraction, so watch out for false fire alarms.

Qumu's initial findings suggested that 61% of online Americans believe employers should allow staff to use their own choice of mobile device for work-related email and viewing company video presentations. This can be challenging for companies using wireless networks since a 90-second video clip is 700 times larger than the average email, yet less than 10% of employees are aware of this.

"Qumu knows the future of business depends on video being consumed anytime, anywhere," said Ray Hood, CEO of Qumu. "While the results of our survey may seem amusing, we at Qumu don't condone that behavior and we give Enterprises the tools to manage the workforce. Not only can the Enterprise determine what videos employees can watch at work, they can also monitor when vital content like training material and company addresses have been watched. That way, the Enterprise can ensure everyone is on the same page."

Tags: consumer behavior, online video, Qumu, survey, Wistia, workplace research