Workers apt to tip off peers, not bosses: survey

At the Google headquarters in Mountain View, CA employees work in their shared offices in this March 3, 2008 file photo.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Workers are most likely to inform peers of uncomfortable situations such as undone zippers or bad breath and least likely to tip off their superiors, according to research released on Thursday.

Two-thirds of workers would tell a colleague at the same level if they had food in their teeth or on their face, but only half would tell a higher-up, said the survey of more than 4,400 workers done for CareerBuilder.com, an online job site.

Two-thirds also would tell a peer about an undone zipper, but only half would tell a higher-up, it said.

Half said they would tell a peer about a stain on their clothes, but only a third would tell a superior, it said.

A third said they would tell a peer they need a breath mint but just 14 percent would tell a superior, it said. Telling someone their hair is messy came in at the same rate, it said.

A third would tell a peer their clothing was inappropriate for the office but only 10 percent would say that to a superior. Also, 28 percent would tell a peer they need a shower, but only 11 percent would say that to a superior.

The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 4,478 U.S. full-time workers between May 22 and June 10. The overall results have a margin of error of plus or minus 1.46 percentage points.

CareerBuilder is owned by Gannett Co. Inc, Tribune Co., The McClatchy Co. and Microsoft Corp.

(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst; Editing by Sandra Maler)