Two Reports Show Influence Of Social Media & The Internet On The Workplace

Does access to non-work related websites make for distracted employees? Many businesses aren’t concerned, a new survey by the staffing firm OfficeTeam  suggests.

Of employees interviewed for the survey, 53% said their employer does not block social networking, shopping and entertainment sites.

For those whose employers do, more than one in five, 22%, frequently use their personal mobile devices as a workaround.

“Even if companies don’t block access to certain sites, they may be monitoring employee activity for excessive use,” said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Professionals should be mindful of how they are spending their time while at the office. Surfing the Web might provide a nice break from work, but it should never get in the way of it.”

OfficeTeam, a temporary staffing firm specializing in administrative professionals, developed the survey. Conducted by an independent research firm, the survey is based on telephone interviews with 449 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.

Workers were asked, “Does your company block access to the following websites?” Their responses*:

Workers whose companies do block access to some sites also were asked, “How often, if ever, do you use your own personal devices at work to access websites that are blocked by your company?” Their responses:

OfficeTeam advises workers to use good judgment when accessing the Internet for non-business purposes

Here are five tips to avoid trouble using social media and the Internet at work:

1. Get in the know. Familiarize yourself with corporate web policies. Also, assess the culture: Some organizations encourage their employees to leverage social media as a business tool, while others frown on it.
2. Assume someone’s watching. Just because nobody’s looking over your shoulder, doesn’t mean your online activity isn’t being tracked. Most companies monitor their employees’ Internet use. Avoid spending excessive time on the Web for personal matters.
3. Don’t overshare. Resist the urge to forward cute kitten videos or other irrelevant Internet “gems” to coworkers, and never send objectionable content.
4. Think outside the boxes. Lots of retail deliveries at the office could make your manager question whether you’re bagging all of the bargains on your own time.
5. Keep an eye out. Be wary of suspicious emails or downloads that may cause viruses or other security concerns. Alert your information technology team if anything looks amiss.

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