19% of workers say they ever use Facebook for work-related purposes. Since it is a more natural way of building connections, it can help improve camaraderie and team bonding in the organization. Social media usage can increase turnover rates because employees have the opportunity to be exposed to or even seek out other job opportunities. Social media gives us instantaneous information, and people are quick to respond on certain platforms. In fact, 8 in 10 workers say they use social media at work.. And 98% of employees use social media for personal use, with 50% already posting about their company online.. Let's see how to utilize its various channels. Half of all full-time and part-time workers (51%) say their workplace has rules about using social media while at work (45% say their employer does not have these policies), while 32% report that their employer has policies about how employees may present themselves on the internet in general (63% say their employer does not have these policies). It will strengthen their confidence and happiness and make them feel valued. At the same time, this means that individuals are also using social media to investigate or find new jobs. Accordingly to a study[4], employees that use social media to interact with their colleagues tend to be more motivated and they often come up with innovative ideas at work. Helps in Analyzing the performance of the company: Watch on-demand featuring customers and industry experts. formId: "0d21763e-bed2-4671-99ba-acc2b6cb3681" Social media plays a fundamental role in our day-to-day lives and there is no exception to that in the workplace. The first factor is determining whether these devices are provided by the company or by the individual. Social media gives people an escape into the digital world. 56% say it is useful for connecting with experts. In a way, that's true. Even so, more than half of U.S. employers continue to block social media access in the workplace, although a Pew Research Center survey found that 77% of American workers use social media at workeven if their employers have policies against it. A new study from Trend Micro shows that more workers around the globe are using social networks while in the office and on the clock. Graph: Internal Social Media gaining popularity in European Union. 82 percent[1]of employees believe that social media can improve work relationships and 60 percent think that it can help with better decision-making. When you're facing push-back from decision-makers in your company, here are some proven reasons you can share with them about why using social media at work can be a good thing. Tip 1: Know your audience. As recent statistics reveal, 81 percent of the U.S. population had social media accounts in 2017 - up nearly 20 percent from four years prior. With the overall increase in social media use, we can only assume that this figure has increased. Tony Green Comp II Essay 3 Social Media in the Workplace A growing hot topic, and cause for concern is the increasing use of social media in the workplace. Social media can increase the chances of fraternization at work. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Improves employee engagement Allowing employees to take short breaks for social networking throughout the day will boost mood, which will potentially increase employee engagement. Additionally, these devices can take many forms: desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even eReaders can give employees instant access to social media via connections to ethernet, wifi, or cellular data. Social media influences all of our lives as we spend a disproportionate amount of time on it. Network and partner up. Most of the research, however, is older by a year or two. The landscape for communication has changed, and the line between personal and professional communications has been blurred. , 600. Setting social media norms and guidance is a good way to control this and keep workplace communication firmly on track. A few include improved communication within the company, promotion of the company brand, recruiting talent, and better customer service (which leads to . At the same time, those who used social media more frequently were also more likely to leave their current job, even if they were also happier there, to begin with. The worst part is that people are not always aware that social media usage is the problem behind poor work performance. Risks and Solutions. Giving social media access to employees on their work devices strengthens their confidence, makes them feel valued, boosts their mood, and increases employee engagement. Social Media can also lead people into spending too much time online which could eventually. For example. 46% say it is useful for finding information they need to do their job. An article published by the Pew Research Center states that "34% of people use social media while at work to take a mental break from their job, 27% of people use it to connect with friends and family while at work, 24% use it to . According to Statista, the average person spends 145 minutes per day on social media. Interest-based networks including Last.fm and Goodreads, where users can unite around content specific to an individual hobby or interest. Use social media at workplace events. That equates to two hours and 25 minutes every day. After Volkswagen Ireland began actively using Workplace, they went from being a company with little collaboration to one that truly values it. You will receive resumes from more . In a Pew Research study from 2016, 34% of workers admitted that they used social media to take a mental break from work. People tend to post a lot of personal stuff on social media New car, new house, a new piece of jewelry, or a big vacation. Social media platforms can only be a temporary solution for companies to encourage employees to interact with their colleagues and share their thoughts online. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. 3. Employee advocacy programs, for example, rely on employees sharing content and building relationships online, but they benefit the company itself. Unfortunately, occasionally how an employee presents themselves on social media may not align with the business values or company culture. When youre facing push-back from decision-makers in your company, here are some proven reasons you can share with them about why using social media at work can be a good thing. You should follow these tips when using social media at work: Make sure your account is active and manned by only you Be aware of the privacy settings for each platform Use safe words when discussing sensitive topics with others Use discretion when using social media for personal reasons outside of work Social media use in the workplace can help raise employee morale. Workplace social media ethics is not just for employees as they relate with other employees, but about the business use of social media in general. According to consumer analysts Experian Simmons, almost half confess to accessing the sites multiple times per day. 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. These rights are established by both federal and New York law. Whether or not to allow personal social media use in the workplace is a tricky topic. Ready to give Kissflow a try? Was it fun, engaging, and did you feel encouraged to stay and be part of the group? Conflicts of Interest. 5% use social media platforms other than the ones listed above for work-related purposes. Allowing employees to use social media at work makes. Learning. Is the user communicating with a coworker, client, supplier, or company audience? If you think those numbers are high - social media might become even more pervasive in the workplace. Quiz: Where do you fit in the political typology? Better communication Harvard Business Review finds that 82%. Benefits of Social Media in the Workplace . Moreover, social media platforms present a great opportunity for businesses in terms of public relations, recruiting, organizational learning, and internal as well as external communications. But it is clear that social media has its place and its pitfalls. Allows employees to take a mental break This reason was the number one purpose employees used social media while at work, according to the PRC survey. In the early days of social media, you wouldnt dream of signing into Myspace or Friendster at work. Employers have more say over what happens on a company device or network, while it may be harder to regulate use of personal devices. Theres no clear answer to whether social media use should be regulated in the workplace. 27% to connect with friends and family while at work. Turning to social media, employees can get answers to simple questions that may be taking up too much time or decreasing productivity. Builds stronger team bonding and relationships. Each design template is built to be beautiful. Alternatively, businesses can also have an internal platform to communicate with employees. Outside of work, Daniel likes to practice his squat form, listen to podcasts and tell bad jokes. If you dont switch to a healthy alternative soon, you will start seeing the negative effects of social media in your organization which will invariably affect efficiency and team bonding. Turn your employees into brand advocates. The tools that power the PostBeyond platform. Those sites were thought of as strictly entertainment, and not appropriate for workday access. Even on a global stage the speed of diffusion is striking: Facebook surged from covering around 1.5% of the world population in 2008, to around 30% in 2018. Here are some questions to consider when crafting your acceptable use guidelines: Boosts Your Employees' Productivity . Read the person's profile, previous posts and comments to better understand who you're dealing with. Social media also acts as a way for the employee to grow their network and stay connected in the industrywhich could help the organization. There have been many instances before where people were fired from their jobs for being rude, degrading, and insulting on social media which can also bring a lot of heat on the company itself. With a focus on contextual collaboration, Kissflow helps streamline communication, projects, processes, tasks, and cases within an organization. If youre ready to start reinventing the business world today, use our handy guide to get started on your application. Working professionals today are just as likely to check their work email on their phone when they wake up in the morning or over breakfast, or to work on their laptops on a wi-fi-enabled commuter train, as they are to thumb through their Twitter feed or watch a cute cat video on YouTube in the office.2 The sanest approach to our current media environment is to accept the looseness of this boundary as simply a necessary change in the way companies interact with their employees rather than a threat to the established order. Social media can be a powerful communication tool for employees, helping them to collaborate, share ideas and solve problems. Helpful resources to support your employee advocacy journey. Most time spent on social media is time that employees are NOT being productive. In a way, that's true. Posting or discussing others or displaying certain social media at work that can lead to claims of harassment. Only 16% of workers whose companies regulate social media at work say they use social media while working to get information thats helpful to their job, compared with 25% of those whose workplaces have no such regulations. | Privacy. Attract and recruit top talent on social media. That is why organizations should focus more on social collaboration instead of giving uninterrupted access to social media platforms. 1. These cover a wide range of uses, including but not limited to: While the benefits or detriments of social media use in the workplace may seem murky to those first diving in, there are years worth of research that point to relatively clear results. Its good for employees to stay connected online, but they should also be focused when it comes to work. o To provide staff with an alternative means of communication between each other 3. 78% of workers who use social media platforms for work-related purposes say social media is useful for networking or finding new job opportunities. Social media use is on the rise in the workplace, a study says, and it doesn't look as if it's going away anytime soon. Conceptually, social media use is pretty vague. They disclose the company's rights to the . Garnter Technology Research recently conducted a study of 1,100 people about the use of social media within their workplace, and the results might surprise you.. One of the more interesting facts, in my opinion, is that only two years ago, one-half of all companies . Workers turn to social media for a range of reasons while at work, with taking a mental break being among the most common. Unethical use of social media creates conflict of interest between employees and the organization management. Strengthens team bonding and workplace relationships. }); Why leading companies choose PostBeyond for employee advocacy. Allows employees to take a much-needed mental break, 3. Do professional networking: Social media can be used to build relationships with employers and promote your skills and find a new job. | Terms If your employees spend even half of that time scrolling through social media platforms during work hours, it can affect their productivity immensely. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main A survey from 2012 revealed that widespread social media usage could result in up to 390 wasted working hours a year. It also makes it easier for you to hire employees since you can share job postings with a wider audience. This can lead to increased productivity and a more positive attitude towards work. 78% of workers who use social media platforms for work-related purposes say social media is useful for networking or finding new job opportunities. Develop your brand. That's an average of nine working weeks, all because you allowed employees to use social media. We've seen that there is still a strong preference of job boards over corporate websites over social media. Kissflow is adigital workplace platformthat makes social collaboration easier by giving employees a centralized platform to collaborate, communicate, and manage their everyday work. More importantly, employees dont get distracted by random viral posts online or the latest online outrage which can help them focus better at work. The lost profits don't even bear thinking about.