Block Facebook or not?

[aimiez_30]

For me its better to block it to maximize the working time of your employees. Sometimes, employees are not aware that they have spent so much time in social networking thus better block such site in your office.

 

[movietub]

By banning the net completely you stop people taking the executive decision to kill a bit of time playing on the net. The tempation is too much for most people...

More people are in jobs where they do enough to "get by" rather than be active and show an interest.

But that's my point! Any employer that is bothered enough to work out whether their staff spend all day on FB should by default be bothered to work out FIRST if their staff have motivational issues. Either an employer is showing an interest and trying to get the best from their staff or they are not. If they are showing an interest, they should start with basic things such as motivation and job satisfaction. Once these are sorted, they can see if FB still causes an issue.

Obviously it's a none issue if the staff have no need for net access. In the same way I don't feel bad about not getting a txt message if I'm outside of a signal area... But those that do have net access - what exactly is the difference between a quick comment over FB and a quick comment to a colleague sat at the next desk?

 

[Davek0974]

But those that do have net access - what exactly is the difference between a quick comment over FB and a quick comment to a colleague sat at the next desk?

Its never a quick comment though, it leads to a conversation, argument, situation etc.... You can talk while you work, you cant FB while you work.

I do not see FB as a way to promote business, its not what its designed and does not get taken seriously. Its a SOCIAL networking site not a promotional tool.

And, yes 99% of the 104 people i work with are only here for the money and would slack off at the tip of a hat, this is not uncommon at all i have seen it many times before. They are just happy to have a job at all in the area we are.

 

[Davek0974]

My advice to you,do not block facebook,because it helps also to promote or to advertise your business.And its big help for you and to your business.

Nonsense, show me proof of a company benefitting from FB please.

 

[Davek0974]

Regards the manual workers, are they not using fb on their phones?

You can try, but if caught you will get pulled in for it, mobiles are generally not allowed in the workplace.

 

[movietub]

Nonsense, show me proof of a company benefitting from FB please.

There are literally millions! Not a huge benefit, but enough to offset a little light staff use occasionally in many cases.

 

[movietub]

Its never a quick comment though, it leads to a conversation, argument, situation etc.... You can talk while you work, you cant FB while you work.

That's entirely dependant on how you use FB which in turn is dependant on whether your staff are being reasonable or taking the p*ss. FB is just one way in a million that unhappy unmotivated staff will take the p*ss.

I run my company and work hard, all my staff do. And if one of us gets a facebook notification at work 9 times out of 10 we grin at it and ignore it, occasionally (lets say a friend has sent a message asking what time we can the bbq tonight) then whats the big deal in taking 30 secs out to reply? Many people use FB this way, just as a tool to stay generally 'in the loop' with a social circle. You have to be quite sad to live on a social site, most people are not like that. Unless they are seriously bored at work! And that's been my point all along.

I do not see FB as a way to promote business, its not what its designed and does not get taken seriously. Its a SOCIAL networking site not a promotional tool.

And, yes 99% of the 104 people i work with are only here for the money and would slack off at the tip of a hat, this is not uncommon at all i have seen it many times before. They are just happy to have a job at all in the area we are.

They are 'happy' to have a job, a happy person shows gratitude. More likely they believe they have the job they feel they have a god given right to expect. You're right it is common of course. But that doesn't mean FB is the problem, it is just yet another modern device that highlights the British workers general lack of commitment and motivation. If you solve the root issues you solve the FB issue, the mobile phone issue, the gossiping at work issue and all the thousands of other issues you haven't thought of and can't list. If you block FB you have applied force, taken away from the workforce their own sense of judgement and solved just one symptom of the root issue.

Just because the problems in a workforce highlighted by FB are common does not mean they are insolvable!

 

[Davek0974]

There are literally millions! Not a huge benefit, but enough to offset a little light staff use occasionally in many cases.

As i said, show me one.

 

[movietub]

As i said, show me one.

Fine - BBC. In fact any business that deals in personalities 'celebrities' uses social networking to great benefit.

Any business selling anything popular can benefit from people sharing links or 'liking' products and services on their webpage.

I think Sift Media (this forums operating company) use FB.

 

[fekkysaputra]

it depends on our choices, basically Facebook is a very great way to promote, but it also has a very big chance to make our employees to un-productive activities...well....it depends on the choices

 

[~serenity~]

As long as their doing all their work then it shouldn't be a problem. If their work starts to suffer, put a complete ban on it!

 

[movietub]

I think it would be quite easy to test the theory of whether or not FB can be used in moderation at work...

Maybe a full member could start a new poll thread with the following options:

1. Self Employed - I use FB during working hours occasionally
2. Self Employed - I use FB during working hours frequently
3. Self Employed - I use FB during working hours for sustained periods
4. Self Employed - I don't use FB during working hours but I do have an account
5. Employed - I use FB during working hours occasionally
6. Employed - I use FB during working hours frequently
7. Employed - I use FB during working hours for sustained periods
8. Employed - I don't use FB during working hours but I do have an account
9. I don't have a facebook account

I imagine as many employers/self employed on these boards use FB at work as employed staff do. And I doubt those users would think a fem moments of social networking here and there disrupt their ability to be effective.

 

[Beachcomber]

As long as their doing all their work then it shouldn't be a problem. If their work starts to suffer, put a complete ban on it!

And all the extra monitoring and control procedures are done by who? An paid for by who?

You go to work to work - if staff can't handle that then hand them the classifieds or tell them to drink a big tall glass of harden the **** up.

 

[thebiznizdotcom]

Mmmm Interesting. We have a tip and trick video going up on our site thebizniz.com tomorrow morning after 9.30 giving advice and help regarding use of Facebook. Give it a try, its free anyway.

 

[tresehabas]

facebook is a social site. If it is not included or being used for the benefit of your business, I say you block it.

You can talk to your employees about this matter before you block the site. That way they get to understand why you have to do that thing.