It may be the season of goodwill but a new survey has revealed that employers are enforcing ever-more stringent enforcement of policies involving staff expenses.

The survey, from IRIS Accounting and Business Solutions revealed that 69 per cent of companies were closely scrutinizing expense claims to ensure they keep a tight rein on their finances. Earlier estimates had suggested that close to a quarter of all expense claims made by employees were in fact fraudulent or for something that the company does not routinely cover. And the scrutiny doesn’t end there. Over half of employers (53 per cent) are closely studying time sheets to ensure that workers are as productive as possible in how they spend the time, while 87 per cent of businesses have confessed to tightening controls on office purchases.