Social Working: LJ7
Every time I see debates and discussion about allowing employees to use social media at work, I start to get a bit anxious. I hate the idea of being monitored the entire time I am working and it honestly feels like a major invasion of privacy. While I understand that there are those who use social media instead of working and allow it to decrease their performance, I feel that it's unfair to group everyone who uses social media at work into the same group. Like Firmplay (2020) states, it is impossible to completely block social media use anymore. Not only is it useful for some work functions, whether it be your job in general or answering questions, it can help some peoples' productivity (Businesswire 2018). This is the camp I find myself in. Often when doing homework or have been doing work for an internship, I need to have something playing in the background on Youtube. This could be music, a random video, or a documentary, but something I don't need to pay too close of attention to. Working without this sort of stimulation is difficult for me and can make it harder for me to concentrate or get into a good workflow. Not only this, but I find I'm the sort of person that needs small breaks from work to keep up motivation. Whether it be a 15 minute scroll through Twitter or a brief check of Discord or paying attention to a short Youtube video, I find I need that bit of distraction during the work process to keep from getting burnt out. My workflow cannot work without these breaks. I can complete work quickly but I cannot continually keep it up. It has never kept me from being able to complete the work I've been assigned and, in fact, I usually have things finished before they need to be done. This is also the reason that I, like many others according to the Pew Research Center (2022), prefer to work remotely. It has so far allowed me to work without someone breathing down my neck and lets me work at my own pace and flow. I think that social media allowance in the workplace should vary from employee to employee. If someone's productivity is low or is decreasing, then I think it is reasonable to look at their social media use during work and act as needed. However, if someone is still productive and doing good work, I think they should be able to work however works best for them even if it means taking some breaks with social media.
Hi Mikael, I completely agree that monitoring someone the entire time they are at work is an invasion of privacy and would also result in people experiencing higher levels of anxiety. There is no standard for how social media affects a person's productivity at work therefore there should not be only one way to address it. While some individuals may take advantage of using social media at work and therefore get less done, many people benefit from using social media in the workplace. Similar to you, I also benefit from having a video or background music playing while working because it helps me focus. Also, sometimes if I know I am going to be working on something for an extended period I will take a quick break to scroll through social media and in turn feel much more energized when I get back to work. This is because it allows me to think about something other than the project or task I am working on and allows me to come back with a fresh view and a more enthusiastic mindset. I also agree that working remotely allows for less micromanaging which only decreases productivity and makes employees feel less motivated. I think if someone uses social media at work and is still extremely productive then there is no need for taking that away because it may result in a decrease in performance. As the article by FirmPlay (2020) says, "social media use at work is simply a given". All of this being said, I see social media in the workplace as being mostly an asset with few exceptions, and thought your post did an excellent job at communicating that, have a great week!
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FirmPlay. (2020, July 30). Social media in the workplace: Everything you need to know. https://www.firmplay.com/blog/social-media-in-the-workplace
I completely agree with you when it comes to social medias use to help stay motivated. After working hard for hours on a project or even reading these long chapters for homework I find myself needing a mental break for 15 to 30 minutes at times. A good YouTube video or even a quick scroll through Instagram can help refresh some of our mental batteries to keep pushing on. I feel that employers push to hard to wanting their employees to stay 100 percent mental focused on work, when it can be very draining. If employers would understand that a quick couple of minutes break to do something different, such as watch a couple of TikTok videos that only last between 30 seconds to a minute, then employees would be even more motivated to keep up the hard work.
ReplyDeleteSince social media has such a "distracting" reputation, it was interesting to read your take on this idea. Although I also use youtube videos and podcasts and a means to increase my productivity, I never realized how much it actually helps. I always thought that it would hinder my work, but without it, not much work would be done! I agree that every individual uses social media differently so where as one employee may take advantage of this accommodation, others can find benefit from it. I used to do this at my previous job at a manager of a gym. When I was cleaning or filing reports, I had a headphone in listening to videos, podcasts, or music. It helped me enjoy work much more, especially when it was slow and not many members needed assistance.
ReplyDeleteHi Mikael! I also hate feeling monitored during work, so as to discourage phone use for personal reasons. I personally think that it shouldn't be discouraged as it usually is in the workplace. From personal experience, after dealing with a lot of work in a row, your mind needs a mental break and even going on your phone for just 5 minutes makes you feel recharged and like you gave yourself a break/reward for your hard work thus far.
ReplyDeleteHello Mikael, your analysis on the use of social media during work hour is quite relatable, as I am sure most people out there had or currently doing the same. Long shift can be exhausting and the need for some distraction, or entertainment once in a while is completely understandable. However, it is also not comfortable to know that your company always monitor your activity, be it during writing reports or browsing your social media. If someone find themselves having a hard time focusing for an extended period of time. I always advise them to seek out different form of entertainment, such as reading a book or prepare a cup of coffee. These activities are less computer-oriented and they can help free your mind from constant exposure to technology. It can also help creating a good reputation for yourself as well. Most managers out there can tolerate their employees drinking a cup of coffee, but few will ignore those that use their work hours to browse Facebook.
ReplyDeleteHey Mikael! Yes, I absolutely agree, social media should never and will never be banned in a work setting! Whenever I do something, even writing this reply post right now, I want to do with while listening to music and occasionally taking a short break to take a look at social media. I am the type of person that would rather do things without complete silence. The same goes for taking social media breaks while on the job. Nothing wrong with taking a quick breather for a good while and enjoying a video or browsing through social media. Rather than a distraction, social media is a great way to relieve stress.
ReplyDeleteHey Mikael, I enjoyed reading your post. I too feel like using social media at work, depending on the work environment, can either be beneficial or detrimental. if social media use is helping someone do their job or get work done, by all means they should be able to use it. But, social media can also be used as a big distraction and can be interfering with getting work done. It all depends on the employee and the work environment.
ReplyDeleteHi Mikael,
ReplyDeleteYour post really made me stop and think about how many "short breaks" I take during a work day now compared to the job I had throughout the 1990s. Back then, I worked 8 hour shifts and took two 10 minute breaks and a 20 minute lunch during that time. I'm not saying I worked non-stop the rest of the time, but I definitely did not have the distraction of social media then that we do today. My current job is not near as strict as my old one thankfully, so that really makes me wonder how the company I used to work for handles their employees and their phone usage. I'm sure it's a hard thing to police.
Hello Mikael,
ReplyDeleteI agree, I liked your take on how social media can be both distracting and productive. It truly is a double edged sword. I enjoy listening to podcast or putting on a YouTube video strictly for sound. It not only helps me focus but work much more proactively! Great post.
Hey Mikael I agree with your post about how social media can be very distracting but also beneficial. when using it for work it could help promote your business or whatever you're using it for but it will also feel as if you're being monitored. on the other hand, social media can take up a lot of our time if we don't pay attention to our time spent using it.
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