Social media at work: business or pleasure?

Social media has wormed its way into the business world, blurring the lines between professional and personal. But a recent survey by the Pew Research Centre in the US reveals employees are using social media at work for more than just a mental break.

Regardless of company policy ­– 51% say their employer has a policy, while 32% have policies on how employees can present themselves online – 77% of those surveyed report using social media at work.

The survey of more than 2,000 American adults shows that the use of social media at work is varied and not always positive. The top reason for visiting social media sites at work is to take a mental break (34%), but a surprising 24% use it to make and support professional relationships, while 20% use it to get information that helps them solve problems at work.

When it comes to colleagues, 14% agree that they’ve found information on social media that improved their impression of a co-worker, while 16% have found facts that lowered their opinion of a person. 78% say social media is useful for networking or finding new job opportunities and 56% think it’s useful for connecting with experts.

However, 56% of those who use social media at work for professional purposes believe it distracts them from the work they do. On the other hand, 54% say it gives them a mental break from work to recharge and 56% agree that it helps their job performance.

In a surprising turnout, 25% of those surveyed say they never use the internet for work-related tasks, despite the emergence of the technology as a key tool in the business world.

Read the original article at pewrsr.ch/28OB2Qt