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Social media is so deeply embedded in the majority of cultures across the world that it’s safe to say the whole social-networking craze is likely here for the long haul. The rise in popularity of social media is one of the most talked-about phenomena of the past decade. Conversations and traffic are expanding exponentially every day. With such widespread usage, the following question often arises: “Where do we draw the line – should access to social media be permitted everywhere, even in the workplace?”

According to a recent study conducted by socialbakers.com, 28 million people over the age of 45 are active Facebook users, throwing out the theory that generation Xers aren’t joining in on the so-called addiction. With older folks partaking in the daily temptation to check statuses and keep a watchful eye on virtual “friends”, an issue undoubtedly presents itself within most workplace environments. This can lead to why many organizations grapple with the question, “Should we allow or block social media sites?”

First, let’s cover the many pluses to adopting social-media practices within your organization.

• Social media can be an excellent vehicle to disperse everything, from tips and tricks to breaking news to the masses, in a flash.
• Status updates can keep your community and staff aware of what’s happening and/or upcoming events within your organization.
• Your personnel can serve as your organization’s biggest cheerleaders by participating in social-media conversations and engaging followers.
• Social-media use, within reason, can serve as an effective and quick de-stressor while fostering a fun company culture. Viral-video share-a-thon, anyone?

Social networking is supremely beneficial for industries that need to get the word out quickly. For example, a police station can issue an AMBER Alert while a hospital can list ways to protect oneself from a deadly virus, making social-media sites a good place to turn for details surrounding the convict on the run or the latest viral epidemic.

If your organization updates a blog regularly, social media can be a key player in leveraging more traffic to the blog site, thus increasing readership and creating more buzz. Furthermore, bookmarking sites such as Delicious©, Technorati©, Reddit©, and Digg© ensure older blog posts don’t become lost in the shuffle of newer publications, which is important because some news can hold steadfastly instead of fizzling out with the introduction of the next “it” thing.

But like many other great things in life, unfortunately, not all that glitters is gold in this case. Allowing social-media usage on the job can tend to decrease productivity. Instead of preparing deliverables, you’ll likely find your personnel spending a large chunk of their day tweeting, scanning through pictures, updating statuses, etc. – AKA abusing the system.

It’s vital to convey to your personnel that whatever they post on social media sites on or off the clock can be accessed by others. This includes their superiors, albeit privacy settings that may be in place. The fine line between users’ business and personal lives is easily blurred at times within the realm of social media. Too often users will use Facebook©, Twitter©, or LinkedIn© as an outlet to vent about work stress, seeking sympathy from their friends and family members without consciously realizing that their comments may cost them their jobs. This is precisely why it’s imperative to insert social media policies and compliance guidelines, regardless of whether you’ve given the thumbs up or access denial.

Depending upon the risk versus reward within your industry, it may or may not be a good idea to give personnel the green light to partake in social media while on the clock. However, prior to making that decision, it’s crucial to conduct research, monitor and analyze usage, and update social media policies constantly to gauge if it’s a “like” or disaster overall.

If your organization permits social-media usage, or you’re simply perusing for useful info on your personal time, friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check out our YouTube channel, and join our discussions on LinkedIn. We’re the trusted source you’ve been searching for concerning all things compliance.