Rethinking Social Media

Current trends to restrict access to social networks like Facebook and Twitter at work need to be rethought in light of their business value, according to a new survey by Business.com.

The study is based on a survey of 2,498 employees at North American businesses during August and early September. All of the participants used social media in their day-to-day jobs as a resource for business-relevant information, and/or worked for a company currently managing, developing or planning social media initiatives.

The survey also found that Webinars and podcasts are the top social media resources for business professionals, used by 69 percent of those who turn to social media for business information. Facebook is the most popular social network on which companies maintain at least one profile, cited by 83 percent of respondents versus 45 percent for Twitter.

Consultants and marketing communications professionals are the most active users of social media as a business resource, while IT professionals have the lowest participation rate, the survey found.

Last month, I reported on a survey by Robert Half Technology that found that more than half (54 percent) of companies do not allow employees to visit social networking sites for any reason at work. But as more businesses increasingly adopt social media technologies and tout their value, what implications might this have for the federal government?