Some staffers are so frustrated with being treated like children and having their internet access at work restricted that they're taking their talent elsewhere.

Block Facebook and watch your staff walk

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Angus Kidman16 April 200826 days ago.

A new study has confirmed some employees believe access to social networking sites is so important they'd leave their job rather than work for a company which blocked Facebook.

A new study has confirmed that some employees believe access to social networking sites is so important that they'd leave their job rather than work for a company which blocked Facebook.

A survey of 691 workers by law firm Deacons found that 16% said access to social networking sites would be a major influence in their job choice. That figure rose to almost one in four for people under 24.

As well, the Deacons' Social Networking Survey 2008 found that given the choice between two similar jobs where one employer blocked access to social networking sites and the other did not, 46% of social networking enthuiasts would use the ability to check out MySpace or poke a few friends on Facebook as a major criteria to determine which position they took.

Unsurprisingly, the use of such sites went up as employee ages went down. A quarter of 25-34 year olds had accessed social networking sites at work, and that rose to a third for employed people under 24. The overall figure was 14%, which means more people are probably still wasting time gossiping near the photocopier. For no readily obvious reason, usage was higher in Victoria and Tasmania (insert your own regional insults here).

While the notion of “digital natives” demanding access to sites which many businesses view as time wasters or security risks has often been discussed, the evidence presented for such assertions is often anecdotal. The Deacons survey demonstrates that such issues are indeed now a serious consideration in the office.

"There are risks with social networking sites in the workplace, such as adverse impacts on productivity, as well as heightened chances of harassment claims,” Deacons technology head Nck Abrahams noted in a release announcing the results. “One response is to block these sites but that action carries its own risks."

"Getting the balance right is particularly important in an economy with low levels of unemployment and intense competition for young talent."

The study also undermines the commonly-held notion that people see such sites as bad for business, with 76% of those surveyed seeing potential business benefits in social networking. The most prominent business benefit was not communication: instead, 68% said allowing access to such sites would show that employees were trusted.

Only 20% of those surveyed said their companies actively blocked social networking sites, though nearly a quarter weren't sure if they did or not. There's only one way to find out, folks. (And remember; if it's blocked, your boss doesn't trust you anyway, so why are you working so hard?)

Perhaps the saddest finding of the survey was that only 62% of people had Internet access at work in the first place. Our heart goes out to the other third of Australia's workplaces, especially if they have to slave away in call centres.

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Tin (Regular contributor):

"Perhaps the saddest finding of the survey was that only 62% of people had Internet access at work in the first place."

Perhaps 38% of people surveyed work in jobs that don't require internet access, or where internet access would be highly inappropriate (imagine the guy flipping burgers at Maccas trying to read this article at the same time).

Personally, I don't care if Myspace, etc are blocked. If it's personal stuff, do it at home. If it's for work, ask to have it unblocked. Simple. And yes, asking does work... Even with the filtering Nazis found in places like education departments, etc.

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Arty (New user):

Agreed, your paid to work not to chat.

If you want to chat, dont work, say home.

Imagine if you were building your own business, you hired staff to work for you, you pay them to do your bidding and generate revenue for your business/pockets.
But then they spend a good deal of time playing in facebook, your paying them, wouldnt you block it.

Im a facebook user too, im also in IT, its blocked here. and so it should be, as it a "social" in your own time thing.

Next they say i want to play PS2 and XBOX at work as it for my reflexes.

Arty (40yo and a facebooker, in my own time)

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Obi-Wan Kenobi (New user):

I can't believe the jerks at DET blocking Facebook. What else am I going to do in the two subjects I use computers in apart from learn and do the right thing?!

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Simon Gatward (New user):

I have seen these before. I work for a large company and we send many surveys where the majority of people threaten to leave when faced with restricted internet access. But you know what ?.... they never do. We really wish some of them would but these people are all talk and no action.

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Norm (New user):

What a crock of merde,
If they want to walk, let them go, maybe even encourage them, they probably aren't productive anyway! In fact it sounds like a good way to get rid of a few bludgers, just cut off their facebook and u-tube access.

I'll tell you a secret 'tho', it's not only, or even mostly, the "Gen-Y" kids that are responsible. You would be surprised who came bleating when we shut off all access to a number of such sites, including x-rated sites. I do notice they're still working here.

Norm

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K (New user):

If I was an employer and had an employee threatening to leave if they were blocked from Myspace or Facebook, I'd wave and say "goodbye"

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LostBenji (Advanced Member):

A company who supplies any network access has the right to do with as they see fit including blocking crape like facebook or other time-wasters and even watching internal e-mail.
If people think that they have a right to socialise and waste time while at work then time to sack them.

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John43 (New user):

Clearly blocking Facebook and Myspace increases productivity at a workplace. Why should employee pay salary for chating online?

We use software method (Website Block from Ashkon.com) and use limited user accounts.

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John43 (New user):

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Jinzo.pk3 (New user):

How is it clear that productivity will be increased?
Facebook may actually provide an employee with inspiration, or just boost their morale in general. It would also make work something they would enjoy coming to [if they didn't have any internet access or anything better to do at home of course ;) ] and make them more loyal to the company.
I myself have never used Facebook or anything similar for that matter and I'm 18 :)

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John43 (New user):

Clearly blocking Facebook increases productivity. Why should employee pay for chatting with buddies?

We use software method (Website Block from Ashkon.com) and limited user accounts.

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Nathan (New user):

It is so hard to get good employees in the current market sometimes you have to give back, you just need to watch their work output. Google apparently spends over $7000 per employee per year in food to them happy.

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