Social Media at the Work Place: Productive or Counter-Productive?

The rise of social media tools has many companies concerned about productivity in the workplace. Some companies have put a ban on social media sites and others that apply some form of limitation when browsing the Internet. Oddly enough, studies have shown that people that browse the Internet a reasonable amount of time during work are more productive than those who don’t. According to Dr. Brent Coker from the University of Melbourne, “People who do surf the Internet for fun at work -- within a reasonable limit of less than 20 percent of their total time in the office -- are more productive by about 9 percent than those who don't”. Though many employers believe that social media sites and access to personal e-mail take away from business productivity, one of the main reasons for the increase in productivity is because employees are able to reset and refresh their minds. This mental break increases their ability to concentrate and productivity.

It can also be said that companies that allow access to social media marketing sites, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, use it to their advantage. Companies are also able to learn from their employees’ use of social media sites due to their increasing popularity. Social media websites are a great way to increase brand recognition within the online community, as well as participate in Social Media Marketing. Another advantage is the possible information that could be relayed to workers that are accessing social media websites. Employees who use social media websites may find helpful tweets or updates that can benefit the company, such as a sale.

But of course, remember that social media websites can be addictive and time consuming. As stated by Dr. Coker, it is important that browsing is done in moderation to help refresh the mind for increased productivity and concentration. That is why it is imperative to provide instructions and guidelines on use of internet browsing at work.

Written by Chris C.