The Negative Effect Of Social Media On Productivity In The Workplace

The negative effect of social media will be heavily debated in the business world although we all know it is true. Do the benefits outweigh the negatives enough to make you look the other way?

It does not matter how helpful social media is because it will always affect productivity in the workplace in many more ways than you realize. 

In this article, we will not only look at the negative effects of social media but also the benefits if managed well.

• What is social media?
• Is social media toxic?
• Is social media destroying productivity?
• Social media and communication
• Long-term benefits of not using social media for business
• The negative effect of social media on productivity - Conclusion

What is Social Media?

Social media platforms were created to allow individuals to share and communicate at a social level with each other.

Originally the idea was to share your personal experiences with others who have the same interest in using text or images. It very quickly became the norm for people who wants to stay in touch with each other such as family and friends.

Social media allows a user to make new friends globally or get old friends back together again into groups that can keep up to date with each other's lives.

Is Social Media Toxic?

A social media platform in itself is not toxic but because of the lack of privacy, poor usage control, and misconception of users, it has become a toxic environment. With human behaviour, it is just natural that any environment will turn toxic if not strictly controlled.

I don't think it was taken into account how humans behave in a group environment and also that it will expand to the extent it did today. Basically, very few can function well if not part of a social network where they can get updated by the second on what is happening out there.

Social media generated many mental deficiencies that require professional and medical attention. These illnesses did not exist before and studies have proven that some of them are directly linked to people's behaviour on social platforms.

We all know the drive of today's youth to be seen as an influencer on social media or the less fortunate that do themselves harm because they do not get likes and follows.

The social media platform is filled with human characteristics from every angle you can think of and the mix is creating a toxic atmosphere. It is the only place where people from all walks of life will share the same discussions.

The negative effect of social media on productivity?

Social media platforms were never intended to be used for business when it was created. It was supposed to be fun and was created to provide people with exactly the opposite of a daily 9 to 5 stress situation.

With its popularity growing rapidly its creators very quickly realized the monetary value and things changed. People got hooked and it was seen as an easy way to reach people 24/7 or make a connection with people of the same interest you would've never met otherwise.

Due to the nature of a social media platform, people started communicating in a different manner which is not ideal if you are running a professional business.

• Sentences are shortened
• Abbreviations used more
• New expressions developed
• Every statement left with an expectancy of a response
• Statements often not focused on or target a specific person

All of these lead to people spending more time writing, responding, or decyphering communications instead of actioning the real issues. As soon as these platforms were starting to get utilized for business purposes it changed the way people interacted with each other on a business level as well.

By adopting social media mannerisms for the business slowly your productivity levels started deteriorating. There will always be an argument between the pro and anti-social media groups as some will claim it improved their productivity. In some instances, it might be true but looking deeper you will find productivity shifted to fewer employees in the company.

Here are 5 common examples of how social media have a negative effect on your productivity in the workplace:

• False customer relationships
• Communication breakdowns
• Fragmented teamwork
• Misdirected focus
• Employee well being

False customer relationships

Possibly the most overlooked area of your business when it comes to social media interference. Forming an online relationship with your customers through social media will immediately strip your company of any controls you had over your processes.

The customer relationship becomes a virtual relationship with your customer controlling your business 24 hours a day. Without direct and physical communication the customer will not get into contact with the intimate workings of your organization and how you view your vision.

You just become another entity on social media. It is easy for them to find a new "virtual friend" should they wish to. Loyalty can change with the click of a button.

Communication breakdowns

The manner in which communication is conducted on social media often leads to broken or incomplete communication. As your employees learn the bad habits of social media they will also forget what proper communication is.

It was found that employees no longer use their initiative to perform simple tasks and only respond to instructions via social media. That is why employees not using social media will always be more productive and practical in the execution of their daily work.

On social media, we also find that very few people can "read between the lines" as you do in normal conversation. This has a lot to do with not hearing voice tone or seeing body language. That is the reason why more time is spent on social media to get clarification than you would in real life and things are taking longer to clear.

Fragmented teamwork

Because of the separation of employees on social media platforms, it is very difficult to create team efficiency. Most companies that are successfully dealing with customers will have a dedicated few to handle their social media accounts without distracting other processes your team is focusing on.

There should be one social media account for the company that can be monitored and managed efficiently with basic rules for all users. In this way, social media can become part of the process but as a separate entity. Not all employees know how to use social media productively and it will require special training.

Misdirected focus

If everybody is allowed to communicate with customers via their social media there is no control and personal social media communication will distract and interrupt the normal workflow. There are common goals to be reached by your team and these goals will definitely be negatively affected by social media.

Employee well being

Not only does social media have an effect on your productivity but it also has a negative effect on your workers. With no rules in place, most employers will take advantages that will encroach on workers' personal time.

Being in contact and expecting workers to respond 24/7 will have serious negative effects on their productivity at work. Mentally workers cannot focus on important daily routines if they have no break and personal responsibilities are pushed aside for business.

This practice of not taking workers' needs into consideration will late to higher absenteeism, poor work performance, and workplace discontent. All of these are core problems when it comes to effectiveness and productivity.

Social media and Communication

Communication is only as good as the perception of the listener. Miscommunication comes from one of two parties preempting the core message being relayed.

In other words, the mind is closed to input from other sources than the listener's own mindset. People communicating mainly through social media has re-engineered the brain's ability to process input from opposing sources. 

Even though social media are perceived as a communication channel it is not effective in the world of business unless it is used for marketing your business or brand.

Communication via social media is mainly one way where the user input reflects his or her own view not expecting opposing views. 

Opposing views are discarded instantly and positive criticism is waved. It is a matter of simply moving on to other parties who agree with the user's views. 

Not only do modern-day businesses fall prey to social media but they also fail to recognize the real value of electronic communication.

Social media or as a matter of fact any electronic communication must be utilized as an informative medium and not as two-way communication. 

Nothing beats the good old conversation or face-to-face visit.

It was proven by students at a communication conference in South Africa who did a study on social media that communication via networks was not anywhere as effective as direct communication.

Long-term benefits of not using social media in the workplace

More intimate communication networks are established through direct verbal communication. 

The leader of your organization is responsible for the building of productive and highly competitive teams. One of the main functions is to ensure effective communication channels are put in place.

Managing the way you communicate in the workplace without the need for social media will bring long-term benefits such as:

• Team members will become more responsive as they feel integrated into a solid team structure and not just a social media participant
• Productivity will increase due to reduced response times
• You can narrow the perception of a gap between the top and bottom of organizational structures
• Communication is clear and concise where applied verbally and face-to-face
• Staff will learn to communicate in the correct manner and according to organizational standards
• Employees will have time to focus on real processes and increase efficiency
• Personal and business time will be split and used efficiently

In other words, to understand and maintain relationships in the workplace, it is crucial that true leaders step up and get back to the basics of communication without falling into the trap of relying on social media to do the job for you.

The negative effect of social media on productivity - Conclusion

Social media were not designed to run a business efficiently. 

Please note we are not talking about the small businesses that do not have extensive resources. We are focusing on large big businesses and large corporations who have the perception that dealing via social media is easier and more effective.

With all the real-time processes of a large business, it is easy to get distracted by the negative effects that social media brings to the game. Without proper management of social media in the workplace you will not achieve the value-adding outcomes that you perceived when starting.

Nothing will ever beat face-to-face communication to build long-lasting customer relationships.

To help others with their social media dilemma please leave your comments below.