I’m getting a little tired of defending social media tools every other week at my place of employment. Several “mishaps” have occurred during work hours and suddenly we need to ban Facebook and cell phones.
As an example: We have 6 computers in our Library area that staff will come in on their breaks and use to search anything. There has been an overwhelming number of technical issues on these 6 computers and troubleshooting this issues is falling on the resource person for the library. Not her job and I agree on this point. However, saying that if we ban Facebook the problem will go away is a false idea.
A department meeting yesterday allowed me to point out that if the computers are having technical problem after technical problem it is more likely that the computers are “slightly” out of date compared to workstation computers, or user error. If she/our time is being wasted having to trouble shoot the computers and this is not part of our function within our positions, then there is a staffing issue with our area (and that’s not going to change).
The next comment was that the computers were not meant for people to sit at and look at pictures of their friends, kids, wedding, trips, etc. So once again I was able to point out that not everyone uses Facebook for this purpose. Some people use this tool for connecting for school work, others are members of serious groups and meet through Facebook. Other’s use Facebook as their primary tool for email. In fact with the launch of their new email function who knows how users will react to using it for their primary email account. Chances are there will be a large uptake. So if you ban Facebook do you ban Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, etc. No. You can’t discriminate and say this tool is okay, but this one is not because you can look at pictures on it. Guess what you can send pictures through any and all of them and in case you never knew it you can send music, video clips, recipes, white-papers, minutes, agendas, books, newspapers and an endless list of other “materials”.
The bigger problem here (in our department) is not what is on the computers or what is being used on them. It is what is the purpose of them. If the purpose is, and this is because they are situated in a Library, that they are for research and work only, then say so. Make this a policy that these computers are for the sole purpose of Yada Yada. That is a valid argument. It has nothing to do with the tools that are being used on the computer it is why are they being used and how do we actually want the computers to be use. If people are looking at inappropriate un-work related materials, whether on Facebook, or catalogue shopping, or travel research then that is a performance issue. If they are looking at it on their break/personal time then in most organizations what one does on their break is their business and so we are back to what is the purpose of the computers. If someone is looking at inappropriate materials on work time, then we are back to a performance issue. Neither of these scenarios are the fault of the social media tool The issue lies either with the purpose of the computers or the performance of the employee.
I’ll keep fighting and advocating for what I think is a good fight. I’d be lost as an employee and basically a department of one with out my social network of peers and colleagues.
I’d love to hear any feedback from reader on this topic. Is your organization open to social media tools? Do you block some and not others? Do you have policies for use/misuse? Will you share them? What are your personal thoughts on the topic?
Most of this falls under an organization’s use policy of equipment and networks owned by the institution. That’s why you are running up against this “wall”.
While you are not wrong in your assessment, companies and organizations are at a loss in this day and age because they are still trying to figure out social media as a whole. People try to explain its value to productivity in the workplace, but most in upper management don’t see it that way.
And you’re right, it’s not the application’s fault when the tools and technology (the computers) are old and out of date.
Keep up the good fight! People feel threatened by the new tools because they don’t understand them. I encourage my friends and colleagues to use Facebook, for example, not just for social interactions but also for building one’s professional network. I also derive a lot of “work” and “research” insights from friend’s posts in FB. You are going up against ignorance plain and simple. Keep it up!
Wonderfully written and I love your perspective. Too many corporate environments have the same knee jerk reaction as well.
Heck, some corporations want you to use your social media accounts (even your virtual world ones) to promote them!
It is an easy answer though to simply ban it all, but far from an educated or thoughtful response.
Responsible use is ultimately up to the individual and may even be up to the parent if the one in question is a student.
When I taught, I disliked having to also be the one to teach manners, but such is the perceived role of education . . .
Good luck and I applaud your well crafted points!