Social networking sites cost UK economy up to £14bn pa

vivatifosi

I've been trying to get round to posting this since yesterday as I think its an interesting talking point, albeit one of those annoying ones that undoubtedly comes from a press release rather than a newshound.

http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/social-networking-costs-uk-economy-billions-8855

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are potentially costing the British economy up to £14 billion a year in lost working time, accoding to a new survey from job sites network MyJobGroup.co.uk.

Its survey of 1,000 people found that nearly 6 percent are spending over an hour each day on social media whilst at work, amounting to more than one eighth of their entire working day. When this percentage figure is extrapolated out to include the entire UK population, it means that two million of the UK’s 34 million-strong workforce, are using Facebook or Twitter during work time.


The article continues and states that 55% of Britain's workers access social networking sites at work, with a third of those spending more than 30 minutes.

treliac

Add to that the time spent on here!

I do wonder how some posters manage to fit any work in around their MSE posting.

vivatifosi

Easy for me. Social networking sites banned where I work. If you see me logged on in the week it either means I'm on a break or not working that day.

lvader

It's a bit like the pirateing debates where the 'industry analysts' claim it costs them billions. i.e. there is an assumtion that if a person didn't pirate a movie/ music/ game they would buy it. Same here, would people really be more productive if they didn't access social networking sites? or would they be doing something equally non productive such as chating or texting?

treliac

lvader wrote: »

It's a bit like the pirateing debates where the 'industry analysts' claim it costs them billions. i.e. there is an assumtion that if a person didn't pirate a movie/ music/ game they would buy it. Same here, would people really be more productive if they didn't access social networking sites? or would they be doing something equally non productive such as chating or texting?

Chatting or texting may be more difficult activities to hide though.

vivatifosi

lvader wrote: »

Same here, would people really be more productive if they didn't access social networking sites? or would they be doing something equally non productive such as chating or texting?

Fair question Ivader. We're social animals after all. A big part of going to work for me is meeting different people, if I wasn't actually allowed to speak to them that would be really boring and I don't think my employer would get the best out of me. Its about balance and not taking the p*ss.

dave4545454

treliac wrote: »

Add to that the time spent on here!

I do wonder how some posters manage to fit any work in around their MSE posting.

me too, it's usually the ones who benefit bash. they spend all day on here critisising others for not having a job instead of actually doing some work themselves.

Davesnave

I think there's something in this, but its's not new, is it? During the brief time I worked in an office, long before t'Internet, we still found time to fit in jolly japes of some complexity. Some took serious time to plan and execute. It's human nature to be creative, especially in an intellectually sterile environment.

Now, I'm forced to switch MSE off completely during large parts of the day. My boss is a bit of a task-master and if he catches me on here, 'wasting valuable daylight hours' he can go off on one....

...and for those who don't know,I'm self-employed!:rotfl:

sss555s

vivatifosi wrote: »

I've been trying to get round to posting this since yesterday as I think its an interesting talking point, albeit one of those annoying ones that undoubtedly comes from a press release rather than a newshound.

http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/social-networking-costs-uk-economy-billions-8855

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are potentially costing the British economy up to £14 billion a year in lost working time, accoding to a new survey from job sites network MyJobGroup.co.uk.

Its survey of 1,000 people found that nearly 6 percent are spending over an hour each day on social media whilst at work, amounting to more than one eighth of their entire working day. When this percentage figure is extrapolated out to include the entire UK population, it means that two million of the UK’s 34 million-strong workforce, are using Facebook or Twitter during work time.


The article continues and states that 55% of Britain's workers access social networking sites at work, with a third of those spending more than 30 minutes.

I suspect in most cases the work laid out for that day is still getting done or their managers will be leaning on to them, so there is nothing lost in real terms. It's all numbers on a screen.



I often wonder how they managed to balance the books in "on the buses" where they had a driver, conductor and Blakey with his mini van to finance while charging a sixpence for a beach return.

Or was that all fiction

PasturesNew

I'd NEVER use a company's Internet connection to idly browse the Internet, chat, connect or otherwise. I come from a generation where you weren't even allowed to receive an incoming phone call in a job. If you were at work and a personal phone call came in it was dire! You knew you were in trouble and your boss would call you into the office to explain it is company policy that employees do not make or receive personal phone calls during work time.

I am appalled in offices where I have worked in the past 2-3 years, where people openly have their mobile phones turned on, they check them, they make/receive phone calls all day, and other time-wasting activities.

I'm afraid I am from the "You go to work, to WORK" generation and attitude. Today's workplace is more like a social club in a lot of instances - and I really hate being in that environment, with the buzz of people's phones and them checking their texts and laughing, then passing things round. Really p1sses me off. WORK D4MN YOU ALL. WORK!!

PasturesNew

vivatifosi wrote: »

Easy for me. Social networking sites banned where I work. If you see me logged on in the week it either means I'm on a break or not working that day.

Or chanced it, got sacked .... and are here to try to argue the t0ss with the bosses with info from the Employment board