In: Operations Management
How can an employee's use of social media positively or negatively affect their company even if done on their own time and from their own personal account(s)?
Effects of an employee's use of social media on their company
even
The rapid growth of the technology and the IoT has significantly
changed the way in which people communicate in their personal as
well as professional life. One of the major innovations in social
media and its applications is Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest,
google, youtube, twitter, Instagram, and many others. The
influences of these applications are not limited to as a means of
communication but offer great opportunities for the business in the
context of public relations, recruiting, organizational
communication as well as learning along with internal and external
communication.
While the use of social media at the workplace relaxes the
employees sometimes form their stress by connecting friends and
families or exploring, but it has more negative effects. Employees'
use of social media at the workplace, even in their own time or
with their accounts, negatively affects the company. One of the
major consequences of using social media while working is that it
influences the employees' performance and overall
productivity.
The employees become divert from their task and spend a
considerable amount of time on their work on social media. On the
other hand, its consequences are not limited to ineffective
performance. The employees' usage of social media at the workplace
sometimes also results in loss of confidential information,
misinformation, and employees' solicitation at the workplace.
According to the report of TeamLease World of Work, employees spend
approximately an average of 2.35 hours on social media per day at
the workplace, leading to a loss of 13 % productivity. This is why
many organizations do not allow employees or offered restricted
usage of their personal devices during working hours.