Social media are a virtual world where people meet and get updated about each other’s lives without having to meet personally. Important notices and information are often shared on them. And people use them for promoting their businesses, while many others use them to champion social causes.

Whether or not social media should be allowed in workplaces is highly debated. Many employees argue that a little time in social media between work gives them a healthy break; they say that a brief period of checking updates from friends and relatives refreshes their exhausted minds. Employers however view it as a distraction. They argue that too much of social media results in frequent work interruptions and can be costly for the company or organisation. As such, companies have difficulty deciding whether to embrace or regulate social media. Even companies in advanced western countries do not have clear-cut rules with regard to the use of social media in workplaces. As a result, there are unwanted tensions and blame games between the employers and the employees in the office.

We have to first realise that social media are ubiquitous. Whether we like it or not, social networking has permeated every corner of our personal and professional lives. It is simply not a ‘fad’ that will die out in a few months. It has become more of a necessity than a luxury now.

These days, people wake up and go to beds with social media. Even though social networking sites are most popular among youths, people of all ages use them. A study released by the Pew Research Centre in 2014 suggests that more than 70 percent of internet users use social media sites, and surprisingly, 65 percent of those are between the age group of 50 and 64. This number is growing rapidly. Similarly, Facebook, Twitter and Whattsapp are widely used by people even from rural areas.

The increasing popularity of social media means that people need to know how to deal with them; they cannot simply ignore them. However, many organisations and leaders fail to maintain a balance between the two extremes: Banning the use of social media completely or allowing free access. Barring a few cases, most organisations choose the stricter provision. They prohibit access to Facebook and other social networking sites on office computers because they believe such access leads to decreased productivity. The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Administration has recently banned the use of Facebook and Youtube on office computers of the Immigration Department. Similarly, the government decided to ban the use of Facebook in offices inside Singha Durbar a few months ago.

However, it is nearly impossible to entirely stop social media usage. Even if organisations block social networking sites on office computers, people can use their smartphones to get around the ban. If companies ban the access of wireless networks such as Wi-Fi in the office premises, people will use GPRS network to assess internet in their smartphones. Even if the employers manage to monitor their staff constantly to stop them from looking at their phones (which is impossible and impracticable), people will still find a way out. They will find a number of ways to distract themselves if they want. Social media are not the only distraction that is around.

A positive attitude towards social media gives us more reasons to praise them. Many people argue that using social media helps them have better relationships at work as it allows the employees in different locations to collaborate and stay in touch with one another. Social media can also be used to communicate with clients, partners and stakeholders, which helps in building closer business relationships.

The companies can, therefore, create a productive environment where people are engaged and motivated to work instead of trying to ban social media. By creating a strong work environment and by engaging the employees, they can drastically reduce the amount of time employees spend on social networking sites. Moreover, there is nothing wrong in allowing the employees to take short breaks every few hours to check their social media profiles. Such breaks are actually necessary because they stimulate creativity and enhance productivity. Imposing a ban on social media does not necessarily increase productivity of the employees or the organisation. It rather creates an unwanted pressure on the employees, and pressure usually produces adverse outcomes.

Gautam is associated with Orchid International College, Kathmandu