The Use of Social Media in the Workplace
Introduction
In recent years, social media has become an increasingly important part of the workplace. Although its exact definition is still somewhat elusive, social media can generally be described as digital communication channels that allow users to collaborate in the creation and exchange of user-generated content. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn enable users to share information, interact with each other, and form communities of shared interests. There is growing evidence that social media can have a positive impact on knowledge sharing and socializing among employees. For example, a study of Twitter usage reported that this form of communication aided employees in transmitting knowledge, maintaining collegiality among coworkers, and strengthening their professional network. Another study found that when a major credit card company introduced an enterprise social media platform (such as Slack or Microsoft Teams), its employees were 31 percent better at finding information and 71 percent better at finding the person with the original information. While social media can certainly be a valuable tool in the workplace, it is important to use it in a way that is respectful of others’ time and privacy. In some cases, it may be appropriate to set up specific guidelines for social media usage during work hours. For example, you may want to limit the amount of time employees can spend on social media or prohibit personal use of social media during work hours altogether. Whatever approach you take, it is important to communicate your expectations clearly to your employees.
Benefits of Using Social Media in the Workplace
Having the ability to communicate in real-time with coworkers that aren’t even on the same continent as you is amazing. This is one of the advantages of living in an increasingly connected world. But social media isn’t just for sharing pictures of your lunch or letting everyone know what you’re watching on Netflix. Social media has also become a key tool in workplace communication and collaboration. Here are some of the benefits of using social media in the workplace:
-Social Media Encourages Knowledge Sharing:
When you have access to social media at work, you can quickly and easily share information with your coworkers. This is especially useful when you’re working on a project together and need to share ideas or resources. You can also use social media to ask questions and get advice from your network of contacts. This can be a great way to crowdsource solutions to problems or get different perspectives on an issue. Social media makes it easy to have a back-and-forth conversation without ever having to leave your desk. A study done by the Journal of Enterprise Information Management found that the reviewability of information in an enterprise social media system was one of the biggest reasons for using one.
Reviewability of ESMPs helps members to identify knowledge. The information on the ESMPs are transparent (i.e. employees are exposed to conversations with other colleagues, as they can see messages between their colleagues) and employees can recognize and gain knowledge from those messages (Leonardi, 2015). The post and search features of ESMPs are designed to help employees to locate required knowledge. ESMPs provide a knowledge map with which members can find documents and the authors of meta-knowledge (Choi et al., 2010). In addition, reviewability of ESMPs enables network members to identify expertise.
-Social Media Can Improve Employee Engagement:
According to a publication by Strategic Direction companies that utilized social media platforms experienced less turnover in employees.
“Investment in ESM software applications has helped an IT corporation in Midwest USA successfully tackle turnover-related concerns. Professionals in the firm are able to utilize such as blogs, wikis, social networking and discussion forums to increase levels of communication. The positive impact on collaboration and creativity indicates just how beneficial ESM is proving right across the organization. Its strong capacity to integrate employees, reduce stress and heighten job satisfaction is also readily apparent. Low turnover intention that now prevails is ample testimony to this.”
This study also mentions that male employees were more likely to engage with coworkers over social media than female employees were. This is likely because social media can help improve communication and collaboration among employees, as well as reduce stress and increase job satisfaction. Additionally, social media can help connect employees who may not otherwise have the opportunity to connect, which can lead to a more cohesive work environment.
Negative Effects of using Social Media in the Workplace
Social media can be a distraction from work, if you’re constantly checking your social media accounts, it can be difficult to stay focused on your work. You may find yourself wasting time scrolling through your newsfeed or reading posts that have nothing to do with your job. Additionally, if you’re using social media to communicate with coworkers, you may get pulled into long conversations that take away from your productivity. Social media can lead to conflict, when you’re communicating with people online, it’s easy to misread tone and intent. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflict between coworkers. It can be difficult to stay on top of all the different social media platforms, and you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, if you’re using social media for work, you may have to be available outside of normal business hours. This can lead to burnout and make it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The Bible has a lot to say about how we use our time. In Ephesians 5:15–16, it says “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” We are called to be good stewards of our time, and that includes how we use social media.
Conclusion
Social media can be a valuable tool in the workplace, but it is important to use it in a way that is respectful of others’ time and privacy. In some cases, it may be appropriate to set up specific guidelines for social media usage during work hours. For example, you may want to limit the amount of time employees can spend on social media or prohibit personal use of social media during work hours altogether. Whatever approach you take, it is important to communicate your expectations clearly to your employees. While social media can have some negative effects, such as being a distraction from work or causing conflict between coworkers, it can also have positive effects, such as encouraging knowledge sharing and improving employee engagement. Overall, social media can be a valuable tool in the workplace if it is used in a way that is respectful of others’ time and privacy.
Reference:
McShane, S. L., & Young, V. G. M. A. (2021). Chapter 9. In Organizational behavior: Emerging knowledge, global reality (pp. 337). McGraw-Hill.
How firms can reduce turnover intention: The potential impact of enterprise social media in the workplace. (2020). Strategic Direction, 36(6), 45–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/SD-03-2020-0055
Sun, Zhou, X., Jeyaraj, A., Shang, R.-A., & Hu, F. (2019). The impact of enterprise social media platforms on knowledge sharing. Journal of Enterprise Information Management., 32(2), 233–250. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-10-2018-0232
Ephesians 5:15–17 ESV — — Bible Gateway. (n.d.). from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%2B5%3A15-17&version=ESV
