Nobody likes to point out potentially embarrassing situations, but when faced with them in the office, workers are more likely to address them with their peers than with co-workers in higher or lower positions. More than 4,400 workers participated in a nationwide survey from CareerBuilder in which they were asked, given the following embarrassing situations, which of your co-workers you would tell the following:

  1. Your zipper is undone
      a. Same level co-worker - 67 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 62 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 50 percent

  2. You have something in your nose
      a. Same level co-worker - 51 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 46 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 33 percent

  3. You have food in your teeth or on your face
      a. Same level co-worker - 66 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 60 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 49 percent

  4. Your hair is messy
      a. Same level co-worker - 33 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 30 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 13 percent

  5. You have a stain on your clothes
      a. Same level co-worker - 51 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 47 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 34 percent

  6. You need a breath mint
      a. Same level co-worker - 33 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 29 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 14 percent

  7. You need a shower
      a. Same level co-worker - 28 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 28 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 11 percent

  8. Your apparel is not appropriate for the office
      a. Same level co-worker - 32 percent
      b. Lower level co-worker - 37 percent
      c. Higher level co-worker - 10 percent



  Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 4,478 U.S. workers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non government); ages 18 over between May 22nd and June 10th, 2009 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 4,478 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.46 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com , is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to talent acquisition. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. , Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company and Microsoft Corp. , CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

  Media Contact:
  CareerBuilder
  Michael Erwin
  773-527-3637
  Michael.erwin@careerbuilder.com

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SOURCE: CareerBuilder