Despite Faltering Economy, Online Gaming At Work Hits High

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The stock market is declining and the national unemployment rate has reached its highest level in decades, but it’s not stopping many American workers from playing online games while on the job. In fact, economic woes and ongoing threat of job loss have only increased online gaming levels.

“Americans are now more stressed than ever. Playing a game or two on Candystand.com is a great way to relieve the pressures of everyday life and to clear your head, without leaving your office”

According to a new survey conducted by Candystand.com, the popular free online entertainment destination, 58 percent of respondents admit that the economy has impacted their job in some way, yet more than half (52 percent) admit they now play more online games at work than ever before. While American businesses have estimated losing $650 billion through workplace distractions, some experts argue that taking breaks on the job can improve productivity and effectiveness.

“Americans are now more stressed than ever. Playing a game or two on Candystand.com is a great way to relieve the pressures of everyday life and to clear your head, without leaving your office,” said Scott Tannen, President of Funtank, the owner of Candystand.com. “It’s rough out there and we’re thrilled when our users tell us that Candystand.com’s games are helping them to relax and make it through the day. And, of course, our games are completely free.”

Professor Robert Bloomfield, who oversees the doctoral program at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, is not too surprised by the results. “Behavioral research has shown, time and time again, how difficult it is for people to put off instant gratification even when the long-term costs are high. So I am not surprised that people would put their jobs at risk for a few moments of fun. Also, a tough economy is forcing people to spend much more of their time online. They are using collaboration tools like WebEx and Skype to save travel costs for their current job, or they are using social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook if they are building connections should they need a new job. Either way, the temptation of online gaming is only a click away.”

Candystand.com’s “All in a Day’s Play” survey of 1,418 working Americans nationwide found that a staggering 64 percent of American workers confess to gaming online at least once a day while at work, with 35 percent reaching for the mouse multiple times a day. Entertainment value continues to rank high, with 32 percent admitting to turning to the online gaming world during the workday for just that reason, while nearly one in five (18 percent) find it as a source of stress relief – enough to help ward off the uncertainty of the economy which has left so many Americans uneasy.

Among other interesting findings from the Candystand.com “All in a Day’s Play” survey:

Forty-six percent of respondents said they have been caught by their boss while playing an online game, but a shocking 58 percent of employees say it’s actually their boss that was the one caught red-handed.
Summer vacations aren’t the only thing that keeps teachers away! The survey found the education industry made up the biggest group of online gamers at 18 percent. They are followed by the retail and sales industry and government workers at just over six percent respectively.
While only 11 percent of respondents admit to playing online games for the competition, an overwhelming majority are willing to put up a fight. Seventy-five percent of respondents say they don’t feel obligated to let their boss win in an online game.

Since 1997, Candystand.com is one of the Web’s most heavily-trafficked destinations for family-friendly online games. Known for its exclusive catalog of high-quality gaming content, Candystand.com features a portfolio of hundreds of the Web’s most popular games, suitable for kids and adults, alike.

Additional information about the Candystand.com "All in a Day's Play" survey is available upon request. To experience free online gaming at Candystand.com, please visit www.candystand.com.

About Candystand.com

Since 1997, Candystand.com is one of the Web’s leading online gaming and entertainment destinations, garnering nearly 10-million visits per month and averaging 13-minutes per visit. With an ever-expanding portfolio of hundreds of free-to-play online games, Candystand.com is regarded for its exclusive catalog of high-quality games suitable for the entire family. In February 2009, Candystand.com was a recipient of the prestigious WiredKids Best of the Web Award, presented by WiredSafety, the largest and oldest online safety, education and help group in the world.