Careers

Face to Facebook

Social networking websites and the workplace

Facebook addicts will be pleased to know that a recent study found that users of social networking sites should not be dismissed as time wasters. The British think tank Demos has reported that social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace can build a sense of community among employees and help companies foster bonds with clients.
So is Facebook more than just a welcome distraction from work? Many employers block the use of Facebook, fearing that it reduces staff productivity and regarding it as time wasting. The Demos report claimed that these sites actually help staff build better relationships with their colleagues, potential customers, boost productivity and innovation and even make for a more democratic workplace. "In today's difficult business environment, the instinctive reaction can be to batten down the hatches and return to the traditional command-and-control techniques that enable managers to closely monitor and measure productively," said Peter Bradwell from Demos. Bradwell added: "Allowing workers to have more freedom and flexibility might seem counter-intuitive, but it appears to create businesses more capable of maintaining stability". However, the report warned businesses to be strict with those who abuse access – clearly spending all day choosing that all-important profile picture is not reasonable use of the site. So is banning Facebook bad for business? Are employees who are trusted to use the sites sensibly and in moderation likely to respect their employers more, creating a happier working environment, or abuse this freedom and take advantage? The facts are that the social networking phenomenon Facebook has more than 41 million users worldwide and businesses that aren't utilising these sites are missing a trick. Ernst &Young, one of the biggest entry level employers in the world, makes the most of Facebook, using the site to recruit and communicate to job seekers and employees alike. Love it or hate it, it seems online social networking is the way we want to interact.

[«all Career Advice]