Facebook and MySpace are the new social networks

"If staff are still productive who cares if they spend their downtime on Facebook"

Facebook is the latest social networking website to catch the imagination of office workers. Following in the footsteps of sites such as MySpace and Bebo, it now boasts 31 million registered members.

However, there have been increasing concerns that workers are spending a worrying number of hours logged on to these sites, with colleagues found engaging in virtual food fights, 'poking' each other, and even writing derogatory comments about their employer on each other's 'wall' (a public noticeboard on the individual's homepage).

Research commissioned earlier this year by content security specialist Clearswift found more than a quarter of British office workers aged 18-29 were spending three or more hours a week when at work on social networking sites, with a massive 42% of young office workers discussing work-related issues on those sites (see box).

Venting spleen

A recent straw poll by London's Evening Standard revealed that employers are beginning to take action, with 70% of businesses across both private and public sector banning or limiting access to social networking sites.

So what's prompting this move? In addition to concerns over the impact on employee productivity, there is also some worry that staff accessing sites may weaken security systems making firms susceptible to hackers. Another concern is that staff are using these public forums to gossip about fellow staff or their employer, with the potential for damaging the organisation's brand.

Indeed, a mortgage underwriter was recently reported to be facing disciplinary action after setting up a group on social networking site Facebook to "vent spleen" about the mortgage industry.

According to a report by trade magazine Mortgage Strategy, the employee at Tudor Mortgage & Finance set up an open group that targeted "poor dejected people who make their living from selling, underwriting or processing mortgages".

Tudor was reportedly prompted to conduct an internal investigation after the employee described his work there as talking to "jackasses about mortgages". The report said he also posted negative comments about previous employer Mortgage Express.

The Evening Standard's report named a number of financial firms - including Dresdner Kleinwort, Credit Suisse and Lloyds TSB - as some of the firms that had installed internet filters to prevent staff from accessing these sites.

Although reluctant to confirm specific sites that it has banned employees from using, Lloyds TSB spokesman Leigh Calder says that the main justification of any ban it imposes is based on internet security.

"As we're a bank, security is our main priority. If we feel there is a security threat for individual sites we'll take action. We see this purely as a security issue rather than one to prevent staff from wasting time at work. We don't want staff downloading from external websites that could cause a security risk, so we have policies and procedures in place to assess risk," he says.

However, Stephen Sidebottom, chairman of City HR, the association for HR working in financial services, remains unconvinced that security is a sound reason for banning access to these sites, saying that City firms already have sophisticated security systems in place.

"Some firms have simply extended their website ban to Facebook," he says. "Although this is the easiest response, it may not necessarily be the right one. I feel there's been a certain amount of scaremongering about Facebook and less of a focus on the commercial benefits that this technology can provide. There are firms that use it to reach out to clients in a creative way. Social networking is, after all, central to how we do business.

"I think that most existing policies on web use are already adequate - guidelines around useage are fair enough, but I don't think there's a need to overhaul policies. If staff did use Facebook to damage the firm's brand in some way you would discipline them in the same way as if they had used e-mail or a blog," he says.

Time to talk

As for wasting company time, Sidebottom says that using social networking sites is no worse an offence than chatting to colleagues. "If staff are still productive who cares if they spend their downtime on Facebook instead of chatting to friends, going for a coffee or using the internet in some other way?" he says.

However, action is not just being taken in the private sector. Alan Warner, director of people and property at Hertfordshire County Council, says that he has taken the step over the past few weeks to block Facebook.

"First, we believe people should be working. Second, there are security concerns. Systems are always under attack and we want to make sure our site is kept as secure as possible. If staff accessing a certain site leads to corruption, it can lead to business disaster," he says.

But Warner does stress that a balance should be struck with staff when it comes to acceptable internet usage.

At marketing communications agency MC2, there has also been a lot of debate around the use of Facebook. The conclusion it has reached is that as long as usage is kept to a minimum then access is allowed.

"We operate a grown-up business with grown-up consultants, and trust employees to keep personal usage of Facebook to a minimum. If people wish to go on Facebook before work, during lunch hours and after hours, then that is perfectly acceptable. We have always found that a self-policing culture is the best environment in which to inspire staff loyalty, creativity and passion for the job. In my opinion, those businesses that treat their employees like children are storing up trouble for the future," says MC2's managing director Mike Perls.

Indeed, outright bans may not be the right answer for all firms. Paul Irvine, marketing director at security software provider Bloxx, says that although there's been a noticeable increase in customers across all sectors trying to block social networking sites, it is causing an interesting quandary for those working in education.

"In education there's an ongoing debate between allowing access to social networks which many believe can help support learning and the issues of inappropriate use of these sites," he says.

With social networking sites showing little sign of losing popularity, there could be some hard decisions for HR to make until both the potential benefits and the dangers of allowing access become clearer.

Facebook addiction

• 71% of office workers access social networking sites at least 'a few times a week'. One in three (39%) access them several times a day.
• 27% of office workers spend three or more hours a week using these sites when at work.
• 42% of office workers have discussed work-related issues on these sites.

Source: Survey conducted by YouGov among 2,629 adults aged 18-29.

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