Embedding Social Media In Business

05/11/2009

By Andy Coote

Every new technology to reach the workplace has the same reactions. Some love it and propose it as the answer to everything (but you have to truly believe) and others see it as the thin end of the wedge and nothing but moral and financial ruin can come from it.

Right now the technology in the spotlight is Social Media (and Twitter in particular).

The BBC reported (on October 26th) a survey commissioned by an IT vendor that claimed in its headline that "Twitter 'costs businesses £1.4bn'" it went on to claim that "Staff who use Twitter and other...

...social networking sites while at work are costing UK businesses £1.38bn every year, a report has said."

"The popularity of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook has grown considerably over the last couple of years, however with it has come the temptation to visit such sites during office hours," said Philip Wicks from Morse. "When it comes to an office environment the use of these sites is clearly becoming a productivity black hole."

The report then went on to suggest that firms haven't yet 'issued them with specific guidelines with regards to using Twitter'. "Without guidelines and usage polices businesses are leaving themselves wide open to a reduction in productivity, brand damage and security risks," Morse said. It added that companies should think about protecting the reputation of their brand. So far, so true, I guess.

The £1.4bn was extrapolated from a survey of 1,460 office workers of whom 50% spent an average 40 minutes per week on these sites during working hours. Is that a reasonable extrapolation, or is there another factor to consider? Is Social Media in business all cost and no return? And is that the only consideration for businesses?

Social Media... continued on page two >

 

 

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