Frank manages a call center in Kansas. As he monitors his employees, he sees that many of them have their cell phones open during work and appear to be checking social media sites. Frank decides that this is a bad precedence and chooses to block the Internet from the main work floor. Employees will only be able to access the Internet from the break room during their 15-minute breaks. Evaluate the pros and cons of an employer blocking social media sites for its workforce.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Related to productivity, it is true that some employees waste time at work. This has been and always will be true. But when it comes to social media, approximately 20 percent of employers block access to social media sites at work to help combat such waste and loss of productivity. However, the evidence is growing that restricting or completely blocking the use of social media by employees at the office can backfire.

Banning access can damage employee morale and loyalty-potentially leading to even greater losses in productivity. Some experts argue, and most employees would agree, that small breaks during the workday help boost productivity. Such breaks can take the form of going outside to get a breath of fresh air, talking with a colleague over a cup of coffee, or checking personal e-mail, Facebook, or checking/sending Tweets.

If these reenergizing benefits of social media breaks are not convincing enough for you or your employer, then consider other potential and undesirable implications of blocking policies: Blocking policies could alienate younger employees, suggesting a lack of trust. Fairness might come in to play, as well.