What are the pros and cons of allowing social media to be used in the workplace?
PROS
1. Employees and employers will grow closer
2. Productivity is increased
3. Employee analytics can be analyzed
4. Company morale will be boosted
CONS
1. Hackers can gain access to the office network
2. Clear guidelines must be made to avoid misuse
3. Employees may bully their colleagues
4. Incapable social media managers could ruin the reputation of the company
When one is in the process of investing in a coworking space in Manila, there is a great chance that he is on his way to making a start-up business a feasible one. Once the space has been rented, the next step is making sure that everyone in the company works efficiently.
There is a debate about the use of social media in the workplace whether it is beneficial to the company or not. To understand the effects of it in an office environment, here are its pros and cons:
PROS
Employee Empowerment
Often times, employees struggle to voice out their opinions in the workplace. By allowing social media interaction between office mates, it allows for a more casual means of communication. Teammates will get closer and bosses will be seen more as friendly leaders. This will definitely decrease the corporate hierarchy in the office and will greatly encourage collaborative efforts and prevents the business to have the silo mentality.
Increased Productivity
Even though logic may lead employers to believe that social media will hinder productivity, recent studies have shown that the exact opposite happens. In fact, social media itself is a great source of information and business interactions that are beneficial to a company. With everyone on Facebook nowadays, some business even run their business on it. In addition, general social interaction with the people they love will make them happy and keep them energized to work.
Additionally, employers that allow social media to be used within the vicinity of the workplace greatly aids in developing strong employees that are efficient at multitasking while still finishing their tasks for the day.
Studying Employee Data
By having an internal social media system, the employer can use analytics to identify patterns in their employees. These can be used in order to find out what trends flow in the company, who are the employees that should improve, and which can become leaders. Think of this as an employee persona – comparable to the buyer persona. If employers see their employees even more through a persona, then they can form their internal programs to be aligned with their workforce’s common goals.
Morale
Companies that allow their workers to use social media usually end up with happier employees. This is because they feel like their employer trusts them. Where there is trust, there is a shown appreciation of value.
The importance of the give-and-take idea is what most companies fail to understand and practice in the workplace. By trusting that an employee will still be able to do his job despite the distractions, it is unquestionable that they will definitely acquire a happy and contented employee. When someone is happy, he will work better.
Cons
Cyber Security Issues
Via a social media platform, it is possible for hackers to launch a company-wide virus that could shut down an entire operation for good. They have an ample knowledge that the company’s computers are all interlinked and that social media is an effective medium to get into their system. For this reason, it is important to establish a high-level cyber security in a company – even with the presence of any social media platform.
Clear Guidelines
When it comes to employees using social media, it is important that employers get to monitor and control its use. This is to prevent their representatives in using the platform in a way that will harm the company. A good example would be bad mouthing client, revealing confidential information, or posting offensive material. Any of these can be crippling to the reputation of a business if the one who posted it is linked to the company.
In order to help employees define what they can or cannot do, it is important to provide a set of guidelines about the proper use of social media. From here, companies can carry out punishments if any rule is broken.
Bullying and/or Harassment
Since social media is so intimate and shows a number of details about people’s lives, the chances of bullying are higher. This is often seen when strangers argue and make fun of each other online. However, the same can happen in a workplace environment where the people know each other but are too emotionally detached to care for one another. Such employees may make use of social media to ridicule or backstab an office mate of theirs, which affects the overall harmony of the team.
Marketing Mistakes
If a company allows an employee to manage their social media, then they must make sure that he/she is fully capable to control it. Failure to do this could ultimately lead to some marketing fails such as misspellings or posting something inappropriate at a sensitive time. In moments like these, social media is more of a liability than an asset.
In addition, there may be moments when a client is eagerly waiting for a deliverable from the company. It may be best for the person handling that account to avoid liking and sharing posts to avoid annoying the client.
Key Takeaway
Allowing social media within the workplace entails a number of advantages – not only for the people but for the company as well. This is because it can be a great instrument for the business’ success since it can ultimately be used as a platform for marketing the company’s products and services. However, proper control over using social media sites is truly a must for it to be efficacious in the process.