Social media set foot a decade ago and it's still a hot topic today. You heard it on the news, employees getting fired over their social media posts and employers nowadays are paying more attention to what their workers are tweeting and posting. 

But you can't deny the fact that social media is very popular, both in our overall culture and in the professional world. The question is, is it worth it?

Social media as a recruitment tool

There's a report by Proskauer which said 90% of all companies use social media for business reasons. Companies are utilising social media to promote the organisation to outside clients and customers and to enhance communication internally between employees and upper management. 

Social media is also used in the hiring process. Right now, approximately 94% of recruiters are using social media as part of their hiring toolbox. Recruiters use every aspect of social media in the hiring process, from tweeting out job openings to looking for more data about a candidate on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Unsurprisingly, a survey from CareerBuilder found that 39% of corporations are using social media to research job candidates throughout the hiring process. 

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Issues with social media 

According to the CareerBuilder survey, 43% of hiring managers researching talent through social media found something negative which persuaded them to overlook the candidate. The negative thing covers from inappropriate photos to references of drug use, and even candidates bad-mouthing former employers.

The Proskauer report said that while social media usage by organisations is increasing, employees' social media access at work is decli5ning. The survey found 36% of employees block social media at work, up from 29% in 2012. The number of employers who allow its employees to access all social media platforms has decreased by 10% in one year, going from 53% to 43%.

It makes sense, there are so many headlines about workers posting negative content on social media, which affects the employer. 

But employers should probably rethink their decision to ban social media at work. Studies by Evolv, Microsoft Corp and a Warck School of Business professor have all revealed correlations between social media usage in the workplace and increase in retention and productivity.

Actually, a short Facebook break or a few minutes scrolling through Instagram can help employees clear their heads and return refreshed to complete their assignments.

This is supported by a study by Millennial Branding and American Express that found 69% of Gen Y workers feel they should be able to access social media at work without restrictions. Blocking social media is probably not be the best answer if you want to keep morale high and keep your best people. 

How to balance social with productivity

Instead of blocking social media, you may need to be able to balance employees' urge for social media with clear guidelines to help them understand what is acceptable to share.

Here are some ways to balance social media with productivity and decorum.

1. Write a solid set of guidelines

Make sure your social media policy is written in stone, and easily accessible to all employees who might be unsure about it. These guidelines should be an evolving document, but it also needs to be clear about what is and isn't acceptable behaviour in regards to social media usage, inside and outside the workplace.

2. Remember that your employees represent your company

Whether you're running a startup or a large company, you need to remember your employees are the public face of your company. Ensure your employees to represent your company in the best way possible. Which is why it's best to develop a social media policy governing behaviour from employees in the public.

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3. Train your employees

You should also bring in professionals to educate employees about how to utilise social media without abusing social power.

4. Take a break, for your brain.

You have a productivity problem if your employee spends 90% of their day on Facebook. But, a short break to check social media or engage in a conversation on twitter might be the break your employee needs.

Before blocking social media sites, ask yourself if it's more harmful than helpful in the long run.

5. Use internal social media for collaboration

Social media has tonnes of uses. There are many internal and business social media tools which can help your companies collaborate more quickly, and tying together employees from different departments and offices.

Before you hit the block button, you should probably reconsider a better policy instead since social media can be a powerful tool if used correctly. At AJobThing.com, we use social media to its full potential to find the best and most relevant job candidates for your company. If you have any problem with hiring, please don't hesitate to contact us!

Source: The Next Web

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