Web surfing at work not so bad, study says.

NEW YORK (AP) — It’s no secret that people sneak in some personal e-mail and Web surfing when they’re supposed to be working.

Installing filters to block access to Web sites and e-mail services could backfire, the study says.

A new study attempts to shatter perceptions that these Web surfers are just slackers trying to avoid work.

In fact, it turns out everyone does it, from senior managers to entry-level employees — and researchers figure that means management attempts to clamp down on Internet use may be missing the mark.

Many legitimate reasons may be at play, speculates R. Kelly Garrett, one of the study’s authors and a communications professor at Ohio State University.

For instance, people may use the Web at work to help balance job and life responsibilities; with the personal matters taken care of from work, they can focus on the task at hand.

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