Blocking social media at work is not the answer

Restricting social media usage at work is sometimes done out of fear. “We don’t want our staff to be distracted.” And: “They shouldn’t waste their time on social media.” Other understandable reasons may include perceived cyber risks or the cost of excess data usage.

An organisation that blocks social media sites may send out one or more of the following messages:

1. We don’t trust our staff
2. We don’t really understand what social media is all about
3. Even though consumers are using social media for health purposes, we’re not really interested

In most cases decision makers are probably unfamiliar with social media and may see it as a threat.

Why staff should have access

Here are five reasons why health care staff should have access to sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs etc:

1. Social networks are powerful learning tools for staff
2. Social media are increasingly used as health promotion tools (such as embedded YouTube videos)
3. Shared knowledge accessible via social media will assist staff in finding answers and making decisions
4. Interactions with peers and thought leaders can increase work satisfaction (and will contribute to staff retention)
5. Participating in social media and other new technologies will raise the (inter)national profile of an organisation

When it comes to cyber security, I believe there are alternatives that are more effective than blocking social media access including upgrading and updating operating systems, updating antivirus software, improving backup procedures, clever password management and online safety training for staff.

A simple social media staff policy also goes a long way.