Facebook is now blocked by more and more workplaces. As people continue to regularly visit the popular social networking site, companies are getting worried about the overall productivity of their employees who also access the social network while at work. But is banning Facebook from the workplace the best solution? Facebook is seen as a potential time wasting tool that can make employees less productive in the workplace. This, alongside other reasons, made employers choose to block the access to the popular social network in workplaces. However, prohibiting the use of Facebook in workplaces also prohibits the company to tap the potentials offered by online and social networking. More and more businesses are thriving through social media integration and blocking access to Facebook, as well as other social networks, in the workplace will also mean prohibiting the company to tap the advantages offered by social networks.
This position paper aims to prove that employers should continue to allow their employees to access Facebook as it can provide more advantages for the company compared to what the company will gain once they choose to prohibit Facebook access in their workplace. Facebook should not be banned in workplaces; instead, employers should know how to embrace the potential of social media and online networking in making their businesses and their employees more efficient and productive.
Facebook, as well as other social networking sites, can become potential “time wasters.” This leads to less productivity at work, which can potentially cripple a business. This is just one of the reasons why companies have decided not to allow their employees to access the popular social networking site while at work. Companies are also becoming worried about the increasing incidents where workers publish confidential and sensitive information to their timeline (Balderrama). This is why some of these companies choose to prohibit their workers from accessing the popular social network while at work in hope that this would increase productivity and decrease the chances of spreading private and confidential information to the public. Facebook is one of the most visited sites in workplaces according to an article published in FutureLab.net; with Google ranking second. The research was based on an analysis of 13 billion URLs visited by employees in different firms (Rhodes). This shows that most workers prefer to visit Facebook and update their profiles and connect with others online in their workplace. Facebook is also ideally used during one’s spare time as it has been tagged as the “Internet’s Ultimate Time Waster” where the average length of use is 4 hours and 39 minutes per month and increasing (Ostrow). These reasons have led business owners and managers to ban Facebook use in the workplace to diminish the cases of unproductivity due to social network usage.
The choice to ban Facebook in workplaces is understandable; as companies only want to make the most of the salary they pay their employees. They are not paid to waste their time using social networking sites and they are also expected to focus more on their work instead of socializing and connecting with people. The main goal of banning Facebook access in workplaces is to re-divert the attention of employees to work that needs to be done for the business. Banning Facebook in workplaces can diminish the amount of distraction available and can force workers to focus more on work instead of spending their time in using social networks. The time that was usually spent on Facebook usage can then be converted into more time for work, which will increase worker productivity and output. Moreover, these reasons for banning Facebook in workplaces can be easily alleviated through the implementation of a social media policy, which will guide employees on how to properly use Facebook, as well as other social networking sites, while in the workplace.
Banning Facebook access in workplaces is an old age thinking that does not make the most out of the new developments of technology, such as social networking sites. Companies who choose to allow their employers to access networking sites, such as Facebook, benefit from the implementation of a social media policy as it allows them to make the most out of the advantages offered by these social media sites for their business. Facebook only becomes a time waster when the employee, while at work, uses it inappropriately. With a social media policy that indicates how Facebook should be used in the workplace, the popular social networking site becomes a tool that can be used to increase productivity as well as increase the online presence and the reputation of the company.
Facebook is also great way to know a colleague and connect with them. Strong social connections with colleagues in workplaces will increase your social connection and eventually increase overall productivity. The Journal of the Econometric Society published a study that proves social relationships between workers affect overall productivity. The published journal stated that the existence of social connections in the workplace increases productivity, as well as the overall performance of the firm or the company (Oriana, Iwan, Imran). Facebook also acts as hosts to certain groups of specialists or professionals that can help workers solve work related problems. Through allowing employees to use Facebook, they can seek for immediate, professional, and free support from posting their questions in the discussion page of the group (Lancet).
Facebook can also help workers unwind for a while during their breaks so that they can become more productive once their break ends. Five to ten minutes worth of viewing photos, reading interesting notes, and watching videos during their break can help employees unwind and relax for a while, which will energize them for another round of work after their break. Most employees also own smartphones, which allows them to easily visit Facebook even while in the workplace. Banning Facebook access in workplaces can only increase the urge of employees to use their smartphones instead to visit the popular social networking site, not to mention the spite and the anger they feel since the decision to prohibit Facebook use shows that they cannot be trusted and they are prone to abusing Facebook even while at work. This defeats the purpose of prohibiting Facebook access. (Lancet)
Blocking Facebook in workplaces, in the hopes of increase productivity, also blocks the potential of social networks to help companies increase their online reputation and make use of the benefits only social network integration can provide. Blocked websites are also an annoyance in the workplace especially when there is a need to do work related researches. This leads to less productivity and increased stress in employees since they are not able to get their work done.
Embracing the potential of social media and online networking can make businesses more efficient and productive instead of blocking social media in workplaces, which can cause employee unhappiness and less potential for growth through social media integration. Facebook becomes valuable for businesses when it is used in the right way as it helps further the development of new spaces of relationship building and collaboration.
Even if a company decides not to integrate social media for their businesses, blocking Facebook is still considered as a bad idea as this popular social network is considered as a great site to visit during work breaks. Employees are mature people and they already know the limitations of social network use while doing work (Balderrama). Depriving them with a few minutes of Facebook access during their break time will only stress them out and will not help them become productive during work.
The best solution to avoid Facebook, and other websites for that matter, to get blocked in the workplace is to implement a social media policy and to make sure that these social networking sites are used responsibly. Employees should not provide their employers with reasons for them to block Facebook access in the workplace.
Companies should see Facebook as an opportunity and not as a threat to employee productivity and business efficiency. Successful integration of Facebook in the workplace has already benefited companies who have embraced social networking integration and this should be considered by other companies to help their businesses grow. Facebook is also constantly providing upgrades that allow businesses to safely and effectively improve its online presence. Establishing an online presence for your company with the help of your employees is a lot easier and more successful when Facebook access is allowed from work and when a social media policy is readily available for employees to refer to. Facebook, as well as other social networking sites, allow businesses to connect with their clients and potential clients and to interact with them as well. Through blocking Facebook access in the workplace, all of the benefits and the potential offered by the most popular social network for your business will be unattainable.
Works Cited
Balderrama, Anthony."Social media at work -- bane or boom?” CareerBuilder.com. March
2010. Web. 18 Nov. 2011.
Bandiera, Oriana, Barankay, Iwan, Rasul, Imran. "Social Connections and
Incentives in the
Workplace: Evidence from Personnel Data". Econometrica 77.4 (2009): 1047 - 1094. Web 18 Nov. 2011.
IBM Social Computing Guidelines. IBM.com. Web. 18 Nov. 2011
Lancet, Yaara. "7 Reasons Facebook Should Not be Blocked at Work". MakeUseOf.com.
October 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2011
Rhodes, Matt. "Facebook Visited Twice as Often as Google in the Workplace".
FutureLab.net. April 2010. Web. 18 Nov. 2011
Wearring, Miles. "Is Facebook good for the workplace?". News.com.au. September 2007.
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