Orange County Register

A majority of U.S. companies frown on employee use of Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites while on the job. according to a survey of 1,400 companies by Robert Half Technology.

Tell us about your company and then read what others said:

Chief information officers were asked “Which of the following most closely describes your company’s policy on visiting social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, while at work?”

• 54% prohibited completely
• 19% permitted for business purposes only
• 16% permitted for limited personal use
• 10% permitted for any type of personal use
• 1% don’t know/no answer

The reason so many companies dislike social networking on the job may lie in a separate survey by information technology reseach firm Nucleus Research. It found that companies that allow full access to Facebook on the job had a 1.5% drop in productivity.

That survey also found that “some employees” used social networking sites as much as two hours a day.”

Another reason may be seen in yet another survey of small businesses for Citibank Small Business. It found that 74% of small businesses have not found Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to be helpful for generating business leads or expanding business in the past year. Not only that, 86% said they don’t use such sites for information or business advice.

Keep in mind that more than 90% of businesses in Orange County and nationwide have fewer than 100 employees. Obviously, their attitudes toward social networking will impact the Robert Half survey.

Dave Wilmer, executive director at Robert Half Technology, said, “Using social networking sites may divert employees’ attention away from more pressing priorities, so it’s understandable that some companies limit access. For some professions, however, these sites can be leveraged as effective business tools, which may be why about one in five companies allows their use for work-related purposes.”

Other business stories….

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• O.C. medical company to add 1,000 jobs — in Utah
• Before reform can take effect, banks rushing to raise credit card rates
• Objection delays Senate vote on jobless benefits
• O.C. manufacturing takes a breather, hiring plummets
• Jobless benefits could be extended 17 weeks
• Can’t afford a business? Win this one
• O.C. bankruptcy filings jump 67% in August
• Proposed workers’ comp hike would ‘devastate’ small firms
• O.C. September new-business filings lowest in 5 years

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