Social Networking or Social Not-working?

2009-11-10 15:41:36 - With the popularity of social networks on the rise, whether or not to allow their use in the office is plaguing businesses. Wavecrest Computing, a leader in Web-use management, addresses the issues surrounding social networking use in the workplace and offers recommendations on how organizations can approach these issues.

Social networking in the workplace is a major dilemma for today’s businesses. The question is: “Does it help or hurt the organization?”

Although the general issue is always the same, the specific challenges vary. They range from productivity losses, to legal risks, to bandwidth drains and security problems. And even more specifically, these challenges are associated with various types of sites

that employees often visit for personal reasons. A few years ago, pornography sites presented the greatest challenge, while today social networking sites seem to be 'number one' with Facebook being the most popular.

A survey conducted by Nucleus Research showed that 77 percent of workers who have a Facebook account use it during work hours. Of those who use Facebook at work, 87% said they could not define a clear business reason for accessing the site, and some reported using it as much as two hours per day.

Wavecrest Computing has been helping businesses and other organizations deal with Internet usage issues for more than twelve years. In general, these entities all face the same challenge, i.e., how can the organization maximize the benefits of social networking access while minimizing the risks of personal surfing at work?

Wavecrest Computing discusses these issues in their white paper "Social Networking or Social Not-Working?" They address the question “To what extent, if any, should workers be permitted to engage in social networking ‘on the job,’ and why?” and offer recommendations, such as a "well-designed Web-use policy."

Dennis McCabe, VP of Business Development at Wavecrest Computing, states, "A well-designed and thoughtful policy can go a long way toward controlling the use of social networking sites without damaging morale. To achieve this outcome though, management must clearly communicate the policy, including its underlying rationale, to the entire workforce. Once employees understand the risks (to themselves as well as the company) associated with at-work social networking, the vast majority will accept any restrictions in good spirit."

About Wavecrest Computing
Founded in 1996, Wavecrest Computing is a recognized B2B leader in policy-based Web-use management solutions. The company’s products are relied on by IT personnel, HR professionals and business managers around the world to proactively address issues of Internet abuse, legal liability, security threats, workforce productivity and misuse of bandwidth. Wavecrest has been profitable since 1997, and sales have increased steadily since then. Among our more than 3,000 clients are Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, HP, Volvo, British Telecom, Edward Jones, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, IBM, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) and a growing list of global enterprises and government agencies.