Workplaces need to embrace social networking tools

We’ve all heard the ‘horror’ stories. IT departments who block Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace. We’ve all got friends who can’t access even personal email until they get home in the evening. Personally, I think it’s silly, because of some of the massive benefits that I, and others I know, have experienced through social networking.

A study completed by the UK ‘think tank’ and research firm, Demos, is trying to convince enterprise bosses to embrace the new technologies.

Any attempt to control employee’s participation on these sites can limit the way staff communicate, as the Demos study said, but also, can limit the firm’s opportunities for new business as well.

“Banning Facebook and the like goes against the grain of how people want to interact. Often people are friends with colleagues through these networks and it is how some develop their relationships.”  said the study’s author, Peter Bradwell. (image source, BBC News & Getty Images) [source]

It’s time for companies to get caught up with the times and not only allow their employees access to social networking tools,  but also look at getting onto these sites themselves!