Should companies allow employees to have access to social networking sites? Why or Why not? Do you think it limits productivity? What guidelines should be set in place if so?
I'm using these questions for my blog for my social networking graduate class. I'm currently a student at St. Bonaventure in the integrated marketing communications program.
Answers (9)
We must understand that social networking sites are the media future. Companies are not allowed by their consumers to produce yesterday products. A strong company is strong only if its linked to the future. To the edge. The companies are also made of employees. And in order to be aware he/she must have the access to it.
As everything limits must be defined. The access must be respected. As well the content, the employee must be conscious that company is a place to produce. So again, responsability is the name of the game.
Alexandre Filizola
It depends on the employee.
Some of them could use it for useful purposes for the organization and the others don't.
Depends entirely on the company (I couldn't do my job without social networking sites, but defense contractors have great reasons for limiting access), but in general there should indeed be guidelines. IBM (see blow) has some good ones, but the basic principle should be:
Social networks are a tool, just like telephones, email, and the human voice. They can be used to seal deals and build office camaraderie just as easily they can be used to distract yourself and others from a job that needs doing. Understand, however, that social networks often by their nature blur the line between your office and private life, so before you post anything to a social network, make sure it passes the mother-and-boss test: ask yourself, is this something I'm comfortable with both my mother and boss seeing.
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A former employer blocked LinkedIn after allowing access for some time. It was unfortunate as LinkedIn provided a good source of business intelligence. However, I do feel that there should be limits and agree with the others that have made comments regarding individual responsibility regarding proper use. The IBM guidelines previously referenced are reasonable and a good example of how other companies should approach the matter.
Good luck with your blog and class!
Andrew W M
Founder, Digital Tsunami "Communications Evolution"
Best Answers in: Business Development (2), Information Storage (2), Web Development (2), Internationalization and Localization (1), Public Relations (1), Sales Techniques (1), Non-profit Management (1), Packaging and Labeling (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
Companies should develop an enterprise-wide policy (we call it an 'eStrategy') for internal and external interaction with all stakeholders. This eStrategy needs to consider the benefits of social and professional networking and determine an integrated corporate approach to sites such as: Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter, YouTube, Xing and others which are language or sector specific.
As well as desktop computers, this policy needs to apply to laptops, Blackberry, iPhone, and other handheld devices.
Select employees should be appointed to be bloggers, twitterers, video uploaders on behalf of the company. Others may be allowed access to social networking sites during work hours to promote products and services, and to monitor and respond to complaints, negative blogs, etc.
However, not all employees need to have access and to avoid a reduction in productivity, access or time online, should be predetermined and managed. Some companies will simply block a site from the network, others may allocate an aggregate amount of time per day. This will be specific to the business.
The approach will vary considerably, due to the company's philosophy. For instance some recruiters use LinkedIn extensively (many LIONs are recruiters), and yet others do not us it at all and are afraid that their employees will capitalise on building a network and then take this asset with them to set up in competition!
The most important step is to recognise that there are massive benefits in social and professional networking, and to develop an eStrategy to capitalise on these.
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Blogs, social networking and now the next best thing Google Wave! , I have heard managers lament loss of productivity. i remember the same laments when computers were new and you had those dumb 2D games that everybody were playing on office computers.
I actually encouraged my team of around 30 field staff to play as much as they could on the spare office computers. And when I had a huge project that had loads of data entry work, the filed staff themselves started entering the data they collect when they return to the office. The project was completed on the scheduled date with excellent data accuracy that I could not have expected if I had appointed data entry operators or subcontracted the work.
A smart company would realize that it could pay to allow people to have their fill of the new technologies and when the technology stabilizes the time spent by each employee would become less. Some companies could even exploit the familiarity and skills among their employees as I did.
Social networking sites are already a significant media channel but the issue companies have is a combination of productivity ( how much time is spent of these sites) and security (obviously).
The concern could be a passing phase because the technology and scale of uptake has been far quicker than the ability of company management to understand it, categorise it and put a process in place. As a result both employees and management are in virgin territory.
But as someone said this is no different to how email started (some people still don't know email etiquette and send letters with 30 exclamation marks and red print for effect), internet usage and dare I say monile phones.
My advice for companies is to allow access simply because you cannot go against a global trend and the benefits are pretty inspiring from a number of angles.
If companies are a bit scared from a security and productivity then trial it with a stand alone computer where people can log in to start with - that way they can ease themselves into the 21st century.....
In a way this is similar to some companies refusing to have a blog fro employees in case they hear bad news and it starts to spread.....
Mary (
Director,Circulation Marketing, New England Journal of Medicine
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I think banning access is a terrible idea yet how do you enforce conduct guidelines?
I read an interesting post from Paul Levy's Blog in reference to a Boston hospital banning access to many social media sites.See bleow and link:
http://runningahospital.blogspot.com/2009/10/note-to-other-89-you-are-in-minority.html
Banning social media in the work place is:
Analogous to banning the Internet
Analogous to banning the phone because you might make a personal phone call
Analogous to banning paper and pens because you might pass a note that is not related to class or work
Could potentially signal to current workers and future recruits that your company just doesn’t “get it”
Steven B
• Financial Analysis & Management • Boeing • SunGard • Lockheed Martin • CIGNA • "Mother Teresa of Network
It depends... we all learn from it.
