As I was catching up on the deluge of blogs I subscribe to (there are some really interesting posts out there and it's worth making the time to keep up with the latest discussions), I was struck by the polar approaches being adopted by companies to the issue of social networking by employees.
With Twitter now more popular than BBC online (50 million visitors in July) the influence of social media cannot be ignored, but is it the optimum vehicle for conveying a corporate message or a dangerous distraction from staff's real work? It seems that increasing numbers of organisations are viewing the growth of social networking as a negative phenomenon with a 20 per cent rise in companies blocking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube etc.
While many executives recognise that social media can help business, the majority are tending to take a reactive approach and limit or ban access, perhaps because of fears about employee productivity, concerns about confidentiality or lack of understanding about how to harness the power of social media to their advantage.
In addition, excessive online social networking in a smaller office can be a drain on bandwidth and increase the risk of viruses.
Social media communication is growing exponentially, yet relatively few marketers have integrated it in their organisation's communications plans.
At the very least, managers need to be developing employee policies giving guidance about use of social media at work.
Perhaps partly as a result of increased vigilance during these tougher economic times, there have been a growing number of cases where an employee has been dismissed because of misuse of social media.
In order to avoid these extreme situations, it is essential that employers communicate effectively with the workforce and clearly layout what they consider to be acceptable online behaviour both during business hours and also during their free time as this too can have a major impact on employers.
Attracting Young Talent What's more, a new survey has shown that companies seeking to attract young workers might want to reconsider prohibiting social networking sites at the office as half of those under 34 say they would choose an employer who gave them access.
With office workers representing the fastest growing demographic on Facebook, employers will need to weigh up the negatives of social networking against the possible loss of new talent before deciding on their corporate social media strategy.
There is no doubt that there are legitimate business uses and networking opportunities, but these must be controlled to ensure a consistent message and protect the corporate brand.
In some cases, particularly in more forward-thinking industries such as IT, employees' use of Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn is being actively encouraged.
It is seen as a positive move which helps the workforce keep up to date with the latest trends, fosters relationships with other staff and suppliers and promotes engagement with customers.
We advocate a realistic and productive approach to coping with the rise of Web 2.
0 - employers must avoid being too heavy handed and instead come up with compromise solutions in order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by social networking.
From an HR perspective, a well-crafted 'social media engagement policy' can clarify expectations on both sides and avoid confrontation.
From a PR perspective, employees' digital activities can offer countless benefits for a company with the building of online communities producing sales leads, providing competitor intelligence and enhancing professional development.
Don't be frightened by the danger of losing control as you launch your message into the social media stratosphere; give your team clear guidelines and let them be your online ambassadors.