The Dreaded Facebook Friend Request, Social Media Activity Through Work Can Make Employees Uncomfortable and Hurt Productivity

For social media lovers out there, getting a friend request on Facebook is usually flattering and somewhat exciting. However, there is often one notable exception. When it's from a boss, manager or annoying colleague, accepting might be a bit uncomfortable, especially if any of your posts pertain to these individuals. And statistics show that workers have good reason to have these feelings.

About 1 in 3 employees said they know a person who has been reprimanded for inappropriate postings on Facebook, according to Fierce, Inc. The research also found that approximately 40 percent of employees engage in inappropriate communications with co-workers on Facebook, which can include anything from gossiping to flirting.And even including those risks, more than 80 percent of workers say that they actually use Facebook at work!

Though the vast majority of workers use the social networking site, more than 50 percent of respondents agree that Facebook is an ineffective tool for enhancing relationships in the workplace. In fact, 16 percent of workers say that they have lost respect for co-workers because of things they posted on Facebook.   

To top it off, statistics show that Facebook may not only cause trouble between coworkers, but it can also cause flat out trouble. Twenty-three percent of people say that Facebook negatively impacts their productivity at work and 18 percent believe that sharing personal information makes them uncomfortable.

"Organizations should think very, very carefully about forbidding any communication or potential team-building tools in the office, whether it be Facebook, sports fantasy leagues or political conversations," said Halley Bock, CEO and president of Fierce Inc., which  conducted the research. "Forward-thinking organizations should hold exploratory conversations with employees to gather diverse perspectives on using Facebook at work, and then establish clear guidelines which hold employees able to access the network appropriately."

The research was based on the response of 800 employees and executives from several industries.