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Why has social media not been able to break into the workplace?

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Sonal Desai
New Update

MUMBAI, INDIA: Why has social media not been able to break into the workplace?

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The answer lies in a new study which says that useless posts are stopping social media from breaking into the workplace.

A new survey of 1,000 British and American professionals from Scredible, developer of socially driven education technologies, shows that over a third (38 percent) of US professionals blame useless content for keeping them off social media.

Key findings of the survey include:

•    Only 3 percent think social media currently provides useful, educational content

•    57 percent of men and 51 percent of women think social media should be banned in the office

•    Only 7 percent believe that social media is most useful for researching topics

•    4 percent think its most useful for finding a job

•    11 percent of respondents think employees can damage a company’s reputation through using social media

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The survey also throws up interesting observations on user behavior and the divide between social media users in the US and UK.

The research shows that American professionals are more social savvy than their British counterparts. Americans are more willing to learn through online channels <48 percent of Americans say they have learned a lot this way, compared to 29 percent Brits> and use this knowledge to advance their careers.

The study, which surveyed fully-employed professionals aged between 20 and 45, also finds that around a quarter of Americans (24 percent) think there is too much spam on social media. Twenty six percent simply do not have time to post during the working day. A further 25 percent are worried about what their employers might think of their social media profiles, including how and what they share might be judged.

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The survey reveals a stark contrast between US and UK professionals, with US professionals notably more aware of the benefits of having a good social media profile in a business environment. Seventy five percent US professionals believe their online profile can have a positive effect on their reputation at work, compared to just 57 percent of Brits. And when it comes to career development, 54 percent of Americans recognize that their social media presence will be important for their careers in 5 years’ time, compared with only 39 percent of Brits.

Colin Lucas-Mudd, Chief Executive Officer, Scredible, says, “Our research shows that American professionals are more social savvy than their British counterparts. Americans are more willing to learn through online channels <48 percent of Americans say they have learned a lot this way, compared to just 29 percent of Brits> and use this knowledge to advance their careers.

But the same concerns come up across both the US and UK markets when it comes to being more engaged online: how hard it is to find good content, the time required to sift through spam, and –especially in the US–the worry that bosses will judge what’s posted on social media, he points out.

“The UK is renowned globally for its creative, digital industries; but history demonstrates that they often fail to exploit the enormous commercial, development, and educational opportunities presented by a more connected world. Businesses and individuals that are quickest to recognize the benefits of an active social profile are set to get ahead of the competition, both locally and abroad. More awareness is needed everywhere, but Brits can certainly learn from the US in this regard if they are to catch up and remain competitive,” Mudd says.

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