Office supplies. Can you honestly say you never took home any supplies from your job? Even a pen? I like to think of myself as a basically honest person, still I have taken my share of the small stuff. But the other day I heard someone in a huff and a puff about coworkers who take home office supplies. Including pens. Is she right?
I recently wrote about the subject from the point of view “should you report them?” There is a lot of loss associated with employees who take supplies. But this post looks at whether it’s actually wrong. And just how wrong if it does cross the line.
But it’s only office supplies…
Unless specified in your company handbook or a special contract you work under, office supplies don’t belong to you. So if you take something that doesn’t belong to you — unless given permission — technically it’s stealing. If you work in a jewelry store, can you take home that sparkly diamond ring you love? No. Of course not.
And if you work in an office, can you pack up the copier and take that home? If it’s worth more than $1,000 in many states that’s a felony. So if it’s less than $1,000 is that okay? No. That’s most likely either petty larceny or petty theft. Punishable by a fine and even some jail time if someone wants to take it that far.
So is there some dollar amount when taking what isn’t theirs that employees feel comfortable with — worth risking company or legal punishment? And conversely, what’s an employer okay with, as far as pretty much ignoring what amounts to petty theft? Do they expect it or simply chalk it up to cost of doing business.
Reasons people take home supplies
First let’s look at what might be in a typical employee’s head as their packing up some notebooks, colored pens, and maybe even typing paper.
- My boss expects it.
- I don’t get paid enough.
- No one will miss it.
- I work hard and deserve little extras
- Hate my job. At least I get something out of it.
- Everyone does it.
- Like they’re going to arrest me for some paper?
- No one will ever know.
- It’s not really stealing.
Is the woman right to think this is wrong?
Well, what do you think? Does it depend on how valuable the item is? If so, where’s the line. What if everyone really is doing it? Does that make it okay or make it worse. And what would the boss say if they knew this was happening.
Let’s look at this from some different angles:
- Office supplies are regular company expense affecting the bottom line.
- The person ordering supplies has to guess how much will last until next order.
- It’s easy for someone to get carried away if no one catches them.
- If boss finds out you’re taking supplies how does that affect their opinion of you and their trust?
- Do small things lead to larger things for some people?
- How does this affect coworker opinion of you if they catch you in the act?
- If one person does it successfully might this lead more employees to join in?
- What if you need a notepad and because someone before you decided to take more than they need for work you can’t get one?
So getting back to the question, you may be thinking what business is it of that nosey woman’s anyway? You don’t watch what she does. Why is she in your business? But her question is still valid. So is it wrong?
Curious what you think. Is it alright to take home office supplies? If so, how many and how often? As I started off, most of us do it to some extent. And I’m sure everyone has an idea of what’s okay and what goes too far. [Hmmm … looking at the stapler I took when I was leaving one job.]
But if there’s no official policy, the decision of what and how much really is up to you. Just know that it can come back to bite you if the boss finds out and decides it’s not okay. One or two pens? Probably yes. But beyond that where’s the line?
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Playing the Blame Game at Work
Coworker Steals Supplies. Should I Say Something?
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Add your thoughts!