With all of the Fuss About Facebook, Should it be Allowed in the Workplace?

Social networks have a lot of value for business professionals. Twitter, Facebook and other platforms make it easy to promote products and services, make connections with people in your industry and stay in touch with former colleagues. There are some drawbacks to using Twitter and Facebook at work, however. Employers cite privacy concerns and reduced productivity among the reasons why using Facebook in the workplace is a bad idea.

Millions of people use Facebook at work each day. If employees are able to balance their work with occasional Facebook use, you might not have to worry about productivity declining. However, Nucleus Research found that allowing Facebook at work resulted in a 1.5 percent decrease in productivity among the 237 employees surveyed. Some employees only check their Facebook accounts occasionally, but others use Facebook for up to two full hours per day.

Privacy settings are another top concern for employers wondering if they should allow people to use Facebook at work. If your employees use their accounts appropriately, their use of Facebook shouldn't put your business at risk. Unfortunately, not everyone makes good decisions when it comes to posting on Facebook and other social networks. You should also be concerned about employees using your network resources to watch videos and post photos. If you allow employees to use Facebook at work, make sure you have clear policies outlining what is and is not acceptable.

Although using Facebook at work does have some drawbacks, there are also benefits. The platform makes it easy for peers to collaborate on team projects, communicate with colleagues and share files from any location. In some cases, using Facebook can actually help you save time. It takes several minutes to walk to someone's office or leave a voice mail with relevant information, but it takes just a few seconds to type a message and send it via Facebook's built-in messaging system.

Many employers see Facebook as a time-wasting activity, but using the site at work can actually help employees recharge after completing complex tasks. Before employees had the Internet, they took coffee breaks or stood around the water cooler for a few minutes each day. Although these activities don't increase revenue or improve productivity, they do help boost morale. If you don't have the budget to give raises or offer better benefits, allowing employees to use Facebook is an inexpensive way to make employees feel appreciated.

Using Facebook at work does have some drawbacks, but don't be too quick to ban the network from your workplace. Instead, create a comprehensive social-media policy, and ensure employees comply with the rules. Disciplining one or two problem employees is better than forbidding every employee in your company from using Facebook at work.

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