Social media(applications like Facebook, Twitter, flickr, YouTube, LinkedIn, to name but a few) is no longer a fad or emerging technology - it has become part of the mainstream. Many companies are now using social media as a business tool to connect with key audiences and build brands.
With the growth of social media also come concerns about the impact personal social networking on company time has on productivity. Or, as a I heard a client recently comment, "I'm never sure if they're marketing our company or just Tweeting about the weekend. In fact, I wonder if they're really 'networking' for us or just looking for their next job on LinkedIn." One thing is certain, however: the lines between personal and professional use of social media in the workplace are blurring.
According to a recent Randstad Work Watch Survey (www.us.randstad.com), 21% of respondents use social media sites while at work - that means 1 in 5 of your employees logs in to social media at work for business and/or personal reasons. The younger workforce tends to use social media more frequently (16% of Gen Y and 20% of Gen X vs. 6% of Boomers and 1% of Matures).
Overall, social media brings a number of positive developments. However, employers increasingly anticipate and address the negative aspects of such increased engagement and connectivity as well. A number of companies are putting social media policies in place not only because of productivity concerns, but for a number of reasons including on-line employer/supervisor-bashing, on-line breaches of confidentiality and loyalty, cyber-stalking and cyber-harassment among others.
HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
Does your company have a social media policy regarding personal usage of social media?
If not, are you planning to put one in place and what concerns do you have about putting one in place?
If so, what best practices would you recommend or pitfalls can you share?
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