More than half of employers say they completely prohibit social media use by workers, according to a new survey of about 1,400 large U.S. companies.
But what if the CEO is in her office using LinkedIn, your boss just invited you to become a fan of the company Facebook page, or your competitors are connecting with your clients on Twitter?
Welcome to one of the toughest issues facing employers: Is social networking a valid part of our work life today, or is it "social not-working"?
"It's a blurry line," says Gary Henning, Charlotte-based district director for Robert Half Technology, which conducted the survey. "People are getting their arms around best practices, and there are a lot of concerns. This is a big topic for employers."
Employer Mark Gilman fired an employee whose personal life became too much of a distraction, "and social media was a big part of that." Gilman is president of Decus Communications, a marketing firm with offices in Michigan and Charlotte. He sees the value in social media, and uses it himself, but he sees a generational difference with employees.
"The thing that concerns me most is (that) millennials seem to be more concerned with social networking than doing their jobs," Gilman said.
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