Social media sites have rapidly grown to be one of the most frequently visited websites in the workplace. In May of 2010, Right Management conducted a recent survey with over 1,000 North American employees concerning their use of social networking sites during work hours.
50 percent of the organizations reported blocking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, while some have embraced social networking sites as a business strategy. These sites are being used by organizations to reach out to clients, employees, potential customers, and job seekers.
18 percent of respondents admitted overall that social networking on the job often interferes with their productivity, while 41 percent said that it only has an effect sometimes.
The survey also found some interesting statistics comparing the following criteria:
Company Size: 51% of workers at an organization with 10,000 or more employees responded that it social media seldom interferes, compared to 41% at smaller organizations.
Department: 62% of IT professionals said it seldom interferes, compared to 30% of sales professionals who reported that it often interferes.
Age: 47% of workers aged 35-44 said that it seldom interferes, compared to 35% of those 18-24.
“Managers should embrace new technologies to communicate more effectively with employees and keep them engaged and informed,” suggests Melvin Scales, Senior Vice President of Global Solutions at Right Management. “Forward looking companies use social networking to build loyalty, share ideas and experiences, and increase collaboration. By nature, we are social creatures and these tools can foster brainstorming, teamwork and innovation. Organizations that resist are probably in a losing battle.”
“Managers should embrace new technologies to communicate more effectively with employees and keep them engaged and informed,” suggests Melvin Scales, Senior Vice President of Global Solutions at Right Management. “Forward looking companies use social networking to build loyalty, share ideas and experiences, and increase collaboration. By nature, we are social creatures and these tools can foster brainstorming, teamwork and innovation. Organizations that resist are probably in a losing battle.”
Source: Right Management
Overall, it is inevitable that companies need to be aware of the growing presence of social media sites. This may begin with the structuring of formal social networking policies. However, these policies also need to be careful not to make workers feel completely isolated from their normal social web of family, friends, and acquaintances. These same mediums can also help to boost employee morale, an aspect that may actually help to increase productivity. The question is, how does one accomplish this balancing act? Share your own experiences and opinions here.
