Social Media - Boon or Bane?

Tip 1 - The issue is one of management and education
By Michael Specht, principal consultant, Inspecht
Today when it comes to social media we (employers and employees) face similar issues as when email and internet access became common in the workplace, but this time the tools are slightly different. The issues with social media in the workplace, or for that matter any internet access, is more about management and education than one of technology. In the same way as employees wasting time in the lunchroom is not an issue with the lunchroom.

Typical issues that could arise through employees accessing social media in the workplace include: sharing of confidential information, productivity losses, discrimination, harassment, privacy breaches, and damages to reputation and brand. Unfortunately if history is anything to go by the monitoring of social media usage will not limit the potential occurrence of these issues. Education is the only answer.

Organisations need to enhance their internet acceptable use policies to encompass these new tools and challenges. Best practice is to include education of employees as part of induction and refresher sessions on a regular basis, as many organisations have done with sexual harassment and ethics training.

Having said that there are certainly roles within the workplace where access to social media, or in that fact broad internet access, is not suitable. The last thing you want is to be waiting for a bank teller to finish buying an item of eBay or updating their Facebook profile, let alone the problems that could arise if hospital staff, or teachers, were more focused on what is happening online instead of the people they have a duty of care over!

My tip would be this: Employees need to learn to exercise judgment when using these tools, not just in the workplace but always. At the same time employers need to take an active role in educating all employees, not just the younger ones, about the potential issues.

Tip 2 - Recognise that trust is a two-way street - but also be wary of data security
By Peter Croft, managing director, at web and email security company Clearswift

Advances in technology have lead to a 'Generation STaNDby' whereby people inhabit a grey area between work and home and are never completely switched off.  Clearswift research has shown Australians are working harder and longer, leading them to blur the boundaries between home and work tasks. Indeed, the research shows employees expect to 'home' from work and one fifth of employees would turn down a job that did not allow them to access social networking sites or personal email during work time. This has led to the reality that employees are now enjoying, and expecting, greater levels of flexibility and mobility than ever before.

Australians view flexibility and trust as the most valued benefits at work and expect to be trusted to manage their own time during work hours. Clearswift's research found 70% of Australians workers rate 'being trusted to manage their own time' higher than other benefits, such as flexible working, dress down codes or training and development options.

For employers, acceptance of this is fast becoming the norm. Business recognise that they can capitalise on the benefits of online collaboration tools to gain cost efficiencies, increase customer service and maintain strong communications with partners, suppliers and customers.

This cultural shift, however, has taken the debate beyond the question of time wasting, and into the realm of data security. Clearswift's research found that 29% of respondents have sent content via email or online applications which they later regretted. This shows that while Web 2.0 is now widely accepted for the productivity benefits it can bring, many organisations have yet to come to grips with the potential for data loss and security vulnerability through social media.

We recommend companies maintain an active up-to-date information management policy that is well-communicated to all employees on a regular basis, not just at induction. With appropriate security measures in place, HR managers and departments can be confident in allowing employees access to web 2.0 technologies for productivity and commercial gain.

Tip 3 - Channel social media into directions that benefit both the business and individual
By Lincoln Crawley, managing director, Manpower Australia and New Zealand
There is not a lot you can do to curtail the use of Facebook or Twitter at work. Employees will simply pull out their iPhones or BlackBerries to get onto these networks. So the challenge - and the opportunity - is to turn them into a positive force.

The connective power of social media can enhance productivity, innovation, collaboration, reputation and employee engagement within organisations. Leaders need to channel social media use in directions that benefit both the business and the individual.

In fact, employers can use social media in creative ways to do that. For example, they could challenge employees to develop ways to do their job better through social media, and encourage them to share these innovations with their colleagues.

Develop guidelines around social media usage in the workplace should also be a collaborative process. Allowing employees to help develop and enforce a company's guidelines will appeal to those already immersed in the collaborative social media space, and could ultimately be the deciding factor in whether those guidelines are instituted.

It's important for employers and HR departments to keep an open mind about how social media tools can be used in the workplace. Ultimately, organisations have an opportunity to use social media in a way that helps employees feel truly connected to the organisation and positive about their employer.