A Majority of Companies Prohibit Social Networking on the Job, CIO Survey Reveals

TORONTO - Workers who want to share the latest news with Facebook friends and Twitter followers will need to wait until after hours or risk violating company policy, a new survey suggests. Nearly six out of 10 (58 per cent) chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed recently said their firms do not allow employees to visit social networking sites for any reason while at work.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology (IT) professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on telephone interviews with more than 270 CIOs from companies across Canada.

CIOs 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?”

Their responses:

Prohibited completely............................................. 58%
Permitted for business purposes only.......................... 22%
Permitted for limited personal use................................ 16%

Permitted for any type of personal use………............... 3%

Don’t know/no answer................................................ 1%

100%

“Social networking sites may distract employees’ attention from their job duties, so many organizations have banned their use in the workplace,” said Geoff Thompson, vice president of Robert Half Technology. “For some occupations, however, these sites can enhance business practices, and one in five companies are therefore allowing access for work-related use.”

Thompson cautioned that employees should always exercise prudence no matter how lenient their company’s policy. “Whether during or outside business hours, professionals should employ sound judgment when using Facebook and similar sites,” he said. “Unprofessional posts may lead to career repercussions.”