Nearly half of U.K. employees feel that social media hurts the workplace, according to new research by Kelly Services. Despite this figure, just 6 percent of British workers are forbidden from using social media at work. What’s driving this negative perception of tools like Facebook and Twitter?
Fifty-five percent of respondents to the Kelly Services study indicated that they thought mixing personal and professional connections enabled office conflict, while 44 percent felt social media harmed productivity. That doesn’t mean companies should shun social media entirely: 25 percent of employees said employers should have an online presence to aid in recruiting.
“We need to dispel the myth that social media is for leisure time only,” said Andrew Cook, Kelly Services’ manager for the U.K. and Ireland. “If used well, it can be an essential communication tool for your existing workforce to engage with customers and be vital in finding and attracting new talent to your business.”
Check out the infographic below for more revelations from the Kelly Services study. Do you think social media use helps or harms the workplace?
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