A question that affects many business owners, managers, and IT professionals is whether or not to block access to social media during employees' work hours.
There are advantages and disadvantages to controlling internet access during work hours in companies. Below, we list some pros and cons that can help you decide on your company's internet usage policy. Finally, we point out some measures that can be adopted to ensure employee and manager satisfaction and to keep your team and the company productive.
Advantages of blocking access to social media in companies
There are several advantages to controlling internet access in a business environment, especially when the main restrictions are on social media, as you can see in the following lines.
More focus on work
By blocking access to networks like Facebook , Instagram , and WhatsApp , there will likely be a considerable increase in employees' focus on activities that are truly important to the company. The waste of time and attention generated by accessing social media is a reality and needs to be closely monitored by managers and responsible professionals.
Increased productivity and quality in tasks
Naturally, with a greater focus on company activities, employees and teams will increase productivity. Without access to social media, they have more time dedicated to company tasks, greater attention, and more concentration at work. These points can also contribute to higher quality in the tasks performed and in the results, as there are no interruptions or distractions during the execution of activities.
Better internet performance
Besides attracting people's attention, social media also consumes a significant portion of internet resources. YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are particularly noteworthy examples, as uploading videos consumes valuable network resources.
In reality, all social media platforms consume network resources, with a lot of content, images, videos, and constant real-time updates.
One of the main factors affecting performance is that slow network speeds can compromise the operation of programs and services used by the company.
By blocking access, it's possible to ensure the optimal functioning of the systems.
Fewer security risks
Social media is also full of malicious links that can lead users to unintentionally install viruses, spyware, and malware on company equipment and computer networks, which can cause slowdowns, equipment malfunctions, or data leaks. With computers exposed to viruses, the loss of important company files that have not been backed up can also occur.
Cost reduction with staff
With more focused and productive employees, your team will naturally deliver tasks faster and with higher quality. Therefore, it's possible to increase the number of tasks performed by the team or even reduce the team size.
To estimate the costs associated with accessing social media, we can do a simple calculation: considering that 20% of work time is spent on social media, in a team of 10 people with an average salary of R$ 1,000.00, the monthly cost reaches R$ 2,000.00, an amount equivalent to 2 employees.
Simulate the cost of wasted time for your team due to misuse of the internet.
Disadvantages of blocking access to social networks at work
As Humberto Ferreira Neto once said, "Not everything in life is rosy." There are also negative aspects to blocking access to social media at work that should be carefully considered, and that's exactly what we'll see in the following lines.
Less creativity
Social media can also be helpful. For employees who work in creative fields, using social media can assist in the creation process, as well as for those who need to stay informed about the latest events.
Speed in information retrieval
Through social media, it is also possible to perform certain searches more quickly than with conventional search engines. After all, social media is one of the fastest ways to spread information and news, thus facilitating access to and the flow of information.
Increased communication costs
Using communication applications like WhatsApp, Skype, and Messenger, for example, can reduce operational costs, such as long-distance calls, since it's possible to contact people anywhere without needing to use a phone.
What to do?
Regardless of the choice, the most important thing is to maintain a clear internet usage policy and raise employee awareness of what can be accessed in the workplace.
It's important to understand that defining an internet access policy requires considering the profile of your company and its employees. Setting extreme rules, such as blocking all access, is not recommended.
The best option is to allow or block access partially , either by time of day or by type of website and content. For example: allowing social media access at the beginning and end of each work shift for 15 minutes, making the work environment healthier.
For most companies, partial control has been the solution. This control can be implemented in several ways:
- Block only the use of websites that consume a lot of network resources, such as YouTube;
- Allow access at specific times, such as at the beginning and end of the workday or during breaks;
- Block access individually or by user groups.
In the latter case, it is possible to allow access to sectors that truly need it, and block it for those that do not require network access due to the nature of their activities.
If you have doubts about which policy is best for your company, a good alternative is to seek references from companies that manage internet access, to learn about the rules they use and the results they obtain. It is also recommended to explore alternative internet access control services , understanding the characteristics of each solution and evaluating whether they satisfactorily meet your company's needs.
We hope this text can help you decide whether to block access to social media in your company. If you already have access management implemented, please share your experience in the comments.
