Does social media waste time, distract from work and drain a company's resources?

Do social media sites waste time, distract from work and drain a company's resources?Are social media sites accessible to your employees during work time? Do you have a policy related to their use/access?
This is a hot topic for all employers. Recently Google commissioned a study with the London-based marketing and research group Millward Brown to examine just how social media is used in business today. For the study, Millward Brown researchers interviewed 2,700 business professionals who work in Western Europe about their social media habits in the workplace. The results are as follows:
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  • 32% use social media every day for job-related purposes
  • 46% stated they hope to increase their on-the-job use of social media tools
  • 75% of senior-level managers stated social tools are altering their business strategies
  • 80% of respondents from high-growth companies reported that social media had improved collaboration and knowledge sharing within their organization
  • A surprising result of the study was the positive effect that social media can have on job satisfaction and career advancement. Among respondents who used social media for their job "frequently" (at least once a week), 86 percent reported that they had been recently promoted and 72 percent said they are likely to be promoted, compared to 62 percent and 39 percent respectively of respondents who don't use social media in their job.
  • 71% of the senior-level managers surveyed said businesses that embrace social media tools in the workplace will find it easier to attract and keep best talent.
  • 53% of senior-level managers said businesses that do not embrace social media will ultimately fail.

Clearly the use of social media in the work place is a hot topic. Having a strategy/plan in place to control/maximizes the utilization of social media during working hours is critical. Propeller HR Solutions can assist your organization in developing a social media policy which will drive results and ensure your organization is protected. Contact us at 312-342-7355 to discuss further.

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