Nine in 10 office workers have claimed they do not use Twitter in the office because they are worried the social networking sites is seen as an extra-curricular activity by employers.
A report by recruitment firm Monster, out yesterday, revealed just 8% of the 1,765 UK employees surveyed used Twitter on a daily basis, and just 5% used the social networking site a few times a week.
David Henry, vice-president of digital marketing at the firm, told Personnel Today employees remained wary about using Twitter and other social networking websites such as Facebook or Bebo at work because of the potential repercussions of getting into trouble with bosses.
He said: “People have been slow to adopt to Twitter in the workplace, probably because social networking sites are frequently seen by employers as extra-curricular and therefore detrimental to business output. Also, people have witnessed how it can backfire and are probably being cautious.”
However, Henry added businesses were increasingly understanding that Twitter was a great way of networking and sharing ideas.
Nicola Monson, a research associate at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, previously told Personnel Today HR functions should help employees to better understand the technology and benefits of using sites such as Twitter.
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But she also warned: “It’s a question of striking the right balance. It’s important that HR professionals develop and communicate well-informed policies on what behaviour is acceptable and what is not.”
A recent survey by communications giant O2 found one-third of companies saved up to £1,000 by using Twitter to reduce communication and promotion costs.
