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Employers Ban Facebook, MySpaceMillenials May Have to Deal with No Social Networking at Work
The purpose of going to work each day is to do a job that helps a company succeed and grow. So how does spending time at social networking sites impact this?
There are two strong points of view when it comes to determining how the Internet should be utilized in the workplace. Those who have been in the workforce for many years – typically baby boomers and older Xers – feel that complete control over computer usage at work is mandatory in order to ensure high performance among workers, while younger employees – primarily millenials – feel that technology only enhances one’s ability to perform and to do a better, more thorough job. Who is right and who is wrong? Not only does it depend on individual points of view (perhaps even age or how long someone has been in the workforce), but it depends on how an individual views the use of the Internet and specifically social networking sites. Who Supports the Use of Social Networking Sites?Amazingly, in a 2007 survey of young working adults 18 to 24 years old, one-third said they would consider quitting and 21 percent said they would be “annoyed” if there was a ban on using social networking sites at their job. Their contention is that it allows them to stay connected with their work (and perhaps social) network and find meaning in their job, and that they should be treated as adults and trusted to perform at a high standard and meet their business commitments without being micromanaged by Big Brother. Concern is that employers who choose “faceblocking” as an option may do so not based on any legitimate concern, but more out of a knee-jerk reaction to a new technology. In an April 2008 report by online company Ciao Surveys, 69 percent of the 1,000 respondents actually thought that social networking sites should be banned at work. However, in looking at the breakdown between age groups, only 42 percent of the 18 to 24 year olds and nearly 80 percent of the 55-plus crowd felt this way. While some of the concern that employers voice and that the younger generation hears is that millenials lack the same work ethic and motivation to succeed that the older generations embrace and allowing access to such frivolous activities would only reinforce this quality, the bigger concern for employers has to do with the perceived threat to company security and confidentiality. In fact, a May 2008 study commissioned by Blue Coat Systems surveyed 250 network and security managers in the U.K. and 71 percent and 74 percent, respectively, agreed that social networking sites should be banned from the workplace. The belief is that businesses are still trying to understand how to control the technology without resulting in a problem with viruses, spyware and security threats. Should Companies Prevent Access to Facebook and MySpace?While each organization has a right and an obligation to review technology and its impact on their particular company culture and work environment, management should not turn a blind eye to the rapidly changing world around them by issuing a blanket no-use policy every time something new comes down the pike. The fact is that technological advances are not uncommon and employers need to learn to react quickly by weighing the pros and cons as well as advantages and disadvantages of new technology in determining an immediate course of action before it blows up in their face. And one of the best ways to prepare is to build a foundation by developing:
Until companies create a culture and environment where new technology is openly discussed and considered and until employees are willing to take responsibility for their behavior and raise the bar on their own personal performance, employers will likely remain cautious.
The copyright of the article Employers Ban Facebook, MySpace in Human Resources Management is owned by Deborah S. Hildebrand. Permission to republish Employers Ban Facebook, MySpace in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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