Social Media in the Workplace - Distractive or Productive

Social Media in the Workplace – Distractive or Productive?

guest author: Bobbie Walker

Officially, the jury is still out on this one, but the answer to this question is actually pretty simple if you stop to think of it – some people find it productive while others consider it distractive. Ok, so if the solution is so damn straightforward, why are there heated debates on this topic raging all over the Internet? Perhaps this is because the world of social media wants to be taken seriously and considered as more than just tools to while away the time or give vent to our narcissistic and voyeuristic tendencies.

I have nothing against Facebook and Twitter or any other social media tool – in fact, I use one quite regularly to keep in touch with friends as most people seem to have moved to this social media from regular email. However, I do find social media to be more distractive than productive; but that’s just because the nature of my work does not allow me to use social media to augment my profession and boost productivity. Perhaps the only professional advantage I gain is that I am able to touch base on a regular basis with others in the industry, thus keeping my options open in case I need to look for a new job.

For others however, social media adds to their professional edge because they use it as a marketing tool, to advertise and sell their products. They create fan pages and use them to drive traffic to their network. And they use Twitter to keep their customers informed about the latest news and offers from their organization. To them, social media is perhaps the cheapest and most effective way to get out the news to the largest number of existing and potential customers, and with the viral nature of news on Facebook and Twitter, these tools are extremely beneficial for marketing and promotional endeavors.

However, for the rest of us who don’t use social media for professional reasons, they are definitely a waste of time if they’re allowed to intrude on our work day. They’re addictive by nature, and for those who’re not too disciplined or work-oriented, they offer more interesting and subtle ways to while away the time than spending time around the water cooler or taking infinite number of coffee or bathroom breaks.

But then, at the end of the day, the truth is that productivity is a personal characteristic, one that has to come from within irrespective of the distractions that exist on the outside. So if you’re a conscientious worker, you do get things done, irrespective of the existence or absence of social media.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Bobbie Walker, she writes on the topic of Online BSN Degrees . She welcomes your comments at her email id: bobbiew862[@]gmail[.]com.