NW Business Insider – Staff Matters

Question: “A lot of other managing directors I know have or are thinking of banning staff from using social media websites.  Are they right and should I follow suit?”

Answer:  “A survey in IT Pro Portal estimated that about a third of businesses have banned staff using social media at work.

This is a real shame for the employees and the enterprise itself.

Social media is not just Facebook or MySpace.  There are plenty of specialised social media sites for specific industries and interests.  And these sites offer opportunities to network with fellow professionals, find what is happening in the market and pursue new work.  My Internet agency has recruited new staff with resorting to using a recruitment agency, which is a major saving.  Moreover we have won business after establishing contacts with decision-makers that might not have otherwise been cultivated.

As for staff, allowing them to network online is healthy, gives a balance to their working day and gives them a sense of freedom and responsibility.  One IT services firm, Telindus, actually found many younger employees (39%) would consider quitting if a social media ban was put in place.  Worth thinking about when trying to recruit and retain staff.