Enterprise Ban on Social Networking: When Will it End?

In this previous post we mentioned to think twice before deploying a social networking platform in your enterprise. The truth of the matter is that half of all businesses that use filters like Barracuda block sites like Facebook, Myspace, and LinkedIn. This latest article on ZdNet summarizes an organization’s main concerns in adopting a social networking strategy.

1. Potential damage from viruses or spyware
2. Drain on employee productivity
3. Bandwidth issues and potential liability exposure

Obviously there is some value to social networking sites, business professionals are already communicating with each other on LinkedIn, a business oriented social networking site. Employers should think of ways to include this form of communication into their business strategy, instead of putting a ban on it.

There is a challenge that exists in this day and age, organizations must find a way to boost employee productivity while fostering out any harmful intrusions. Over time, this dilemma will be solved. After all, organizations initially restricted all web access because employers thought that workers would spend all day shopping and surfing inappropriate sites. Businesses that deploy the best means of collaboration and communication will ultimately succeed in the end. In the future, I can not see any Fortune 500 company lasting without making an investment in a social networking platform.