Social Networking at Work

By Stephanie Jordan
in

Research for September’s cover story confirms adoption of social media is soaring. Organizations cannot hope to stop the use when faced with employees that are putting in longer hours at work, which can lead to blurring the line between professional time and the need to keep in touch with family, not to mention the addiction potential that social media seems to hold.

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s survey of 2,253 adults, the numbers of online adults that have a profile on a social network breakdown by age like this:

  • 18 to 24—75 percent have a profile
  • 25 to 34—57 percent have a profile
  • 35 to 44—30 percent have a profile
  • 45 to 54—19 percent have a profile
  • 55 to 64—10 percent have a profile
  • 65 and older—7 percent have a profile

Many experts say the growth of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and others have caught some companies off guard. How can an organization control personal use, especially when it can be hard to distinguish when access is for business use? It boils down to ensuring that companies expand email and instant messaging policies to include the use of social media.

Just as organizations need to have comprehensive, written policies that address employee use of email, IM, software piracy, and the like, social media needs to be included as a business communications tool, complete with guidelines and consequences for not adhering to the policy. Policies should also remind employees that use of corporate networks and electronics for personal business and transactions does not allow them to sidestep the companies polices on harassment or discrimination, and that there should be no expectation of privacy.

Handled appropriately, social media can be a wonderful business tool. With so many customers and businesses using the medium, social media has already had a big impact on how we reach customers, and conduct business. As the technology progresses, it will move from alternative to necessity for productivity, brand building and improving customer experience. Read more on social media and recommendations in the cover story: “Social Media in the Enterprise: Approach with Caution.”

Published September 14, 2009