Some may describe it as an obsession, a compulsion or the constant need to be “in the know.” Other can’t fathom communicating without it, including the 77 percent of Americans who use this tool at work.  News flash! Social networking sites — Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter — are transforming the way people, business and certainly advertising communicate.  Hard copy communication channels are a thing of the past; our world is now a viral operation. Logging on while on the clock is corporate America’s most publicized controversy and some employers should re-consider the benefits of the web before enforcing a ban.

Social networking is no longer just a “hobby.”  It’s become a vital organ of the world in which we live, work and play. However, more than half of employers across the nation have banned access to social media in the workplace. Obviously, employers think it’s a bad idea to take advantage of your social networking savvy employees to positively promote your business for FREE. Did I mention FREE promotion? Facebook alone has over 350 million members who could potentially see, hear and interact with your company. Capitalizing on this technology now, may help ease companies into the digital transition to come.

“In today’s difficult business environment, the instinctive reaction can be to batten down the hatches and return to the traditional command-and-control techniques that enable managers to closely monitor and measure productivity. Allowing workers to have more freedom and flexibility might seem counter-intuitive, but it appears to create businesses more capable of maintaining stability,” said Peter Bradwell, a Demos researcher.

In other words, be a lover, not a fighter.

Employers should consider options on how to incorporate social networking into daily work priorities to benefit their company. While here at Pavone, social networking for personal use is not permitted during work hours, we’re encouraged to use it to positively promote the agency. The agency itself is an active participant in Twitter and Facebook, in fact our latest post includes our holiday e-card.

Face it, this generation is like no other and social networking is here to stay. Knowing that, social networking at work should be a trained, monitored and encouraged activity.  Its capabilities should never be questioned because you shouldn’t question a good thing. After all, we’re living in a digital world and it’s about time companies learn to live there too.