Confessions of a Cheating Nation: One in Four Have Stolen From Their Employers A new survey of 2,000 adults released today show that one quarter of respondents admit to stealing from their boss.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Take a good look around your office. If the figures are right, one in four of your employees are stealing from you. And that's just who will admit to it.

A new survey of 2,000 American adults released today from personal-finance comparison website MoneyRates.com finds that one quarter of adults have stolen company property for personal use at home.

And that's just employees. If you think that your customers are playing fair, think again. Almost four in 10 survey respondents admit to keeping extra change that a cashier may have accidentally given them. A quarter of them say they would do it again -- even if they were immediately aware that they had been given more money back than they were owed.

As a business owner, don't take American dishonesty personally. Twenty-three percent of survey respondents say they have fibbed to Uncle Sam by under-reporting their income, and three in 10 say that if they were sure they wouldn't get caught, they would be willing to do the same.

Related: How to Motivate Employees in Less Than 5 Minutes

In addition, about 13 percent of survey respondents say they have under-reported the amount that their child uses their car to the insurance company to keep their premiums down.

And do they feel guilty? Get a picture of a puppy queued up to make you feel better about life because the answer is likely to bum you out. About half of respondents say they felt guilty enough about cheating that it would dissuade them from repeating the dishonest behavior. But one in five cheaters report having no guilt whatsoever and say they would be more than willing to repeat the behavior.

Our question: Of the 2,000 responses to a survey about cheating, how many participants cheated?

Related: Let This Mouse Inspire You (Video)

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

What's Open on Easter Sunday? Costco and Target Will Close, But One Major Retailer Will Be Open. Here's What To Know.

The stock market was closed for Good Friday on April 18. Here's what's closed for Easter Sunday, April 20.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Living

The 3 Lifestyle Habits That Made Me Sharper, Stronger and More Successful

These three simple yet powerful lifestyle changes transformed my productivity, energy and mindset. Here's how you can do the same.

Side Hustle

This Couple Started a Side Hustle to Improve a 'Terribly Made' Bathroom Essential. Now the Business Earns More Than $3 Million a Year.

Michael Fine and Lisa Schulner-Fine launched lifestyle brand Quiet Town in 2016 and have been growing it ever since.

Living

Inspired by the Masters? Bring Your Work Hustle to the Golf Course with Mind Caddie, Now $99.99.

If the Masters made you realize that your game needs work, check out this performance coaching audio app.

Leadership

Lead From the Top: 5 Core Responsibilities of a CEO

Knowing exactly what the chief executive's role entails is critical for steering a company to success.