India survey says Facebook affects productivity !
By Gany15k
@Gany15k (1673)
India
February 23, 2010 8:31am CST
A survey says that Indian firms are losing productivity because office staff spend too much time in social net-working sites.The Associated chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) says workers use orkut,facebook,Myspace for romancing and other purposes.And also facebook leading to a loss in productivity of nearly 12.5%.
Moreover the survey found that four in every 10 workers built their entire orkut,facebook profile at work.According to survey 19% of companies allow use if those sites for business purposes,while16% allow limited personal use.
In Last September,Portsmouth City Council in southern England banned staff from accessing Facebook on its computer after it was revealed that they spent on average 400 hours on the site every month.
The survey have said that 77% of workers had orkut accounts used them during working hours.
What you think about this....? Whether facebook affects the productivity ?
4 people like this
19 responses
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
24 Feb 10
It's very possible, the thing that's saving me is that I'm the only one at work who is using it. Everybody was on Facebook...
@esjosh (912)
• India
24 Feb 10
Hey it is not impossible, they can forbid myLot also. As soon as they found it is being effective the productivity, they will ban it immediately. And that is very natural. If any one from us, who is feeling bad about block on social networking sites at office, If we our self are owning any firm and our employs found busy in social networking at office times than we will also forbid such sites at office.
1 person likes this
@tap0991 (2766)
• United States
23 Feb 10
lol well doing anything besides your job affects your productivity. Thats just a given. Although if their work could be used on the internet they would have their employees using it more, so i am assuming that their job has nothing to do with the internet towards networking.
1 person likes this
@apocalypsereturns (368)
• India
23 Feb 10
Facebook and Orkut are the socialising sites which help the people relax a little and dedicate a little time from their tight schedule to their private lifes ..
i dont think that could be a reson for drop in productivity.
@Gany15k (1673)
• India
23 Feb 10
Ya, they help the people to relax but if you own a company and the people working under you just uses facebook or any other sites means are you not going to be affected.You will.So, friend we can use those things in leisure time or in home and not in the work.I think you will get it.Thank for your response friend.
@Tallygirl09 (1380)
• United States
23 Feb 10
I don't think it's just facebook that may be impacting productivity. Here in the USA, many companies are limiting and or monitoring employees's use of the internet since so many companies are finding that employees are abusing the privilige. Sadly, I think it's a bigger problem than just Facebook!
@Tallygirl09 (1380)
• United States
23 Feb 10
I think that more and more people are becoming somewhat addicted to the social networking sites. I'm sure if they checked further, they would see problems with the other top sites like Twitter and others!
Some companies don't realize that sometimes a 5 minutes "break" to check in on Facebook or another site does alot of good. And then folks can get refocused on what needs to be done.
Maybe companies' need to allow for web surfing as a break vs making folks take a 15 minute break away from their workstation so to speak?
@junmae (1586)
• Philippines
24 Feb 10
That is true, maybe if there is also a survey like that here in my country, the result would be just like in your country. Here in the office, most of my officemates spend there time in Facebook rather than doing there job. They are procrastinating and prioritize facebook first. i dont know why people are addicted to it. I just open my account in facebook every once a week because I am not playing and the purpose of my account is to look for my former friends.
@saphrina (31551)
• South Africa
23 Feb 10
Well ,as i just saw what you have put out so nicely, i would say yes. Facebook affects productivity. But it happens in my country as well, and most of the companies are giving the accounts for the workers to pay. I would say that is a very fair thing to do. You are supposed to do your work, not chat on company funds and time. TATA.
@Gany15k (1673)
• India
23 Feb 10
Ya, actually there is no need of chatting in social sites during office work.But as Tallygirl said (you can see in the previous response) company can offer some time to visit the social sites if it helps in developing the company.All the employers should think about this and should develop their company instead of simple chatting.
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
23 Feb 10
It isn't just Facebook these days, many employees with internet access spend time on social networking sites, eBay and even here at MyLot. My partner's company has a policy of allowing employees access to the internet during their lunch breaks, and this has actually helped their productivity as his colleagues are able to legimately access their social networks.
@Gany15k (1673)
• India
23 Feb 10
Ya, this is a good way.It is a nice plan to use those social sites in work.But all companies will not have a plan like this.They will completely ban them in accessing those sites.It is hard to hear that the social sites affects the productivity.Actually the employers are responsible and not the social net working sites.But keeping a policy are rules like you said is good.
@derek_a (10874)
•
24 Feb 10
The same thing has been said here in the UK that Facebook and other social networking sites are causing problems as office workers spend time on them. Many companies over here have now forbidden their staff to go on to the Internet for personal reasons without premission. A lot of the work they do needs an Internet but their moves can be easily traced. A friend of mine told me that he would be fired if caught on the Internet for personal usage. 
_Derek
_Derek
@figjam00 (1445)
• India
23 Feb 10
I think not only facebook but orkut also is big time stealer. People get addicted to the social networking sites. The reason the facebook is addictive is due to its applications which orkut also tried to emulate but was not very successful. I think companies should restrict facebook access in office timings.
@jakill (835)
•
23 Feb 10
I suspect it does, but not always in a negative way. Sometimes doing something different to refresh yourself can produce a burst of productivity afterwards. But there will always be some scivers around as well. Bosses and supervisors should pay attention to how much work is completed rather than totting up time used in this way. If they allow a certain amount of access they should generate the goodwill of the workforce to make people want to pull their weight. If they ban it they are likely to produce the opposite effect. People will always find ways of sciving if they want to.
@sasalove (1709)
• China
24 Feb 10
I think it is not really true for that though they have the data to show. The productivity got the affection is not out of the staff they get on their social net-working site, but the productivity itself. We always play qq here just like the face book, and some of company prohibited to have access to internet just in case their staff divert their attention from work. I don’t quite agree this rule. 24 hours’ working will make a person dull. In another sense, it will affect the mood of the staff if they keep on working without the modification of the communication outside. Another, staff is adult and they would not disregard the work on hand just for the social net-working site purpose.
@magtibaygom (4858)
• Philippines
25 Feb 10
Oh, I remember watching this in BBC World News.. I think I saw this in BBC's "India Business Report". There is a mixed reaction to this, from pro and from anti. Prohibiting the staff from accessing social networks have both advantages and disadvantages. In today's modern world and era of social networks, I think, employers should allow their employers to access Facebook while at work, moderately, but they should monitor whether their employees are just using it to enhance work productivity or if they are already addicted and the work is already affected badly. Companies should adapt with the rising trend. They should start now to study how to manage this issue gently and successfully.
@humairaku (2038)
• Indonesia
23 Feb 10
not only in India, buddy. In my place, facebook is also include to forbidden site. some companies is blocking this site so no employees could access it during work hours. and I agree that facebook could affect productivity cos facebook can make the users addicted so they prefer to spend their time by surfing on facebook than doing their jobs.
@Gany15k (1673)
• India
23 Feb 10
I'm also a member in facebook.I think these sites are just to have fun and to be connected with friends and well wishers.Further we can play games like that some more extra fun.But I just wonder why these people are become addicted to facebook or any other sites.Whether there is more interesting that can be done other than those things I said.Then I really need to know.Anyway thanks for your response friend.
1 person likes this
@PocketRocketsAA (628)
• Philippines
24 Feb 10
Really interesting post, Gany. I've actually wondered if Facebook affects productivity in a bigger scale because right here in our own household almost all of us spend the entire day on Facebook more than anything else. My school mates and I have had a conversation a couple of weeks ago about this and we actually noticed how Facebook has kept us from doing our school work and the like. Even before sleeping instead of reading a good book or something people just check Facebook instead for updates or to play games. Facebook really has become a big part of people's live. A little to big that is if it already is affecting productivity!
@thuhuong (823)
• United States
23 Feb 10
Absolutely, I would also include mylot if I can 
as it is a place where we are more open in conversations, we do find that what happened on here is distracting our real life responsibilities. I know a lot of folks facebooking and myspacing on their phone whenever they can. I find myself mylotting as well during work as well. But my point is it does take away your attention from real life work where you are needed. There is so much to do online as well as offline and doing both at once, well you need to choose which is more worthwhile. And as we cheat to ourselves, so do we do in real life at work.
as it is a place where we are more open in conversations, we do find that what happened on here is distracting our real life responsibilities. I know a lot of folks facebooking and myspacing on their phone whenever they can. I find myself mylotting as well during work as well. But my point is it does take away your attention from real life work where you are needed. There is so much to do online as well as offline and doing both at once, well you need to choose which is more worthwhile. And as we cheat to ourselves, so do we do in real life at work.
@angelajoy (1825)
• Philippines
24 Feb 10
This is true not only in India but in many other countries as well. That's why in the company where I work Facebook has been banned. I used to use Facebook at work, but only when my deadline was not very tight and I could finish my work on time. The problem with most people is that they spend more time on social networking sites than doing their work. My work has a deadline, so doing stuff on the Internet doesn't affect my productivity much. There's no problem as long as I can submit my work on time and, of course, do my work properly.
@pupupd (1515)
• India
24 Feb 10
I don't think social networking sites can affect productivity of a company in any way. Employees access such sites for relaxation and time pass. There is no way they can leave their work pending and do surfing on net. They have to complete their given task first and only then they can do other things like this or else their Project manager will abuse them lol 
And a very huge company like ORACLE which is my company has filters activated which dos not allow employees to access such sites. So you will find everyone working complete 8 hours + over here.
A well managed company will never have problem with such things. Common it is just a site which can be easily made unaccessible to the employees.
And a very huge company like ORACLE which is my company has filters activated which dos not allow employees to access such sites. So you will find everyone working complete 8 hours + over here.
A well managed company will never have problem with such things. Common it is just a site which can be easily made unaccessible to the employees.
@adhyz82 (36249)
• Indonesia
23 Feb 10
not only for indians my friends.in my country, indonesia who had recorded that the second biggest user for facebook,it`s no doubt facebook had give many bad impact for some of their usess, not only for decreasing productivity untill human trafficking.. Wow
@universe2o6 (356)
• Brazil
23 Feb 10
That is 100% crediblew. People tend to forget the important things very easaly and this is the result, the industry pays the price by paying you not to do anything! These sites should be blocked inside the networks of these firms.
