Facebook time in the office 'boosts productivity'

LOGGING on to Facebook at work can actually improve employee productivity rather than reduce it, experts say.

LOGGING on to social networking websites such as Facebook at work can improve employee productivity rather than reduce it, experts say.

This is despite up to one third of Australian workers admitting they use the popular site at the office, according to the Advertiser.

University of Queensland Professor of human resource management and organisational development Charmine Hartel said workplaces that blocked sites like Facebook and Twitter were taking the wrong approach to employee wellbeing.

"We can't always assume workers using Facebook are wasting time," she said.

"Used in the right way it can help people de-brief a difficult situation, in much the same way they might with an email, or it can be used to build up useful business networks.

"Obviously going on there for hours on end and looking at your mate's photos isn't the best thing to be doing, but that's not what the bulk of people are spending their time doing."

A University of Melbourne report last week concluded staff allowed to surf the internet for fun - including the use of Facebook - for less than 20 per cent of their work time were more productive that those who do not.

A national survey of 1000 Australians, released today, found one third say they use Facebook while in the office, of which many log in for 15 minutes each day.

Adelaideans were the least likely to check Facebook at work, but it is also here where the highest number of employers - just under half - banned employees from using the site in the office.

Men were slightly more likely 37.1 per cent) than women (33.8 per cent) to access social networking websites in the office.

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