25+ Mind-Boggling Social Media At Workplace Statistics 2023

Barry Elad

Updated · Oct 04, 2023

25+ Mind-Boggling Social Media At Workplace Statistics 2023

Social Media At Workplace Statistics: Social media use is growing in popularity among professionals, despite the fact that it is often considered a hobby that can be enjoyed after work hours.

There are conflicting opinions on whether increased social media use in the workplace can benefit or harm employee productivity and satisfaction. While some think social media is a disruption, others believe it is a very important essential networking tool. This article will discuss the most recent Social media in the Workplace statistics and facts about social media at work.

Social Media In The Workplace Statistics (Editor’s Choice)

  • 27% of people in the United States actively use social media for work.
  • 30% of employees at businesses with social media policies in place use social media platforms at the workplace to take a mental break from their tasks.
  • According to 51% of workers, their employer has policies for using social media in the workplace.
  • 98% of employees use social media for personal purposes.
  • 77% of employees use social media at work.
  • Around 23% of workers between the ages of 18 and 29 stated that they found information on a social media platform that has improved their opinions about a colleague.
  • A 2020 study found that 80.4% of participants thought that social media usage at the workplace improved two-way communication.
  • The average worker spends nearly 12% of their working hours using unproductive social media apps.
  • 45% of companies do not have a social media policy that applies to their employees.
  • The internet user spends 145 minutes each day on social media.
  • Only 51% of the companies have restrictions or social media rules at work.
  • Around 36% of employers have blocked access to social media networking sites during work hours.
  • 73% of the companies use social media sites for recruitment purposes.
  • Every year, in the United States of America, social media distractions at work cost businesses around $650 billion.
  • As of 2023, around 60% of employers reported monitoring social media at work.
  • 71% of the employees use social media at work to stay in touch with other people in the same field, while 56% use it to connect with experts.

Key Social Media At Workplace Statistics

#1. Facebook is the most popular social networking platform used for professional purposes.

It is estimated that 19% of workers state that they use Facebook social media platforms for work. Comparatively, 14% of professionals say that they use LinkedIn social networking sites for work, 9% of employees state that they use social media tools offered by their business, and 3% of people use Twitter social media for professional purposes.

#2. 27% of people in the United States actively use social media for work.

This percentage is considerably lower than 40% of global social media usage for work purposes. Indians use social media for work at a rate of 47%, followed by Canadians at 31% and Australians at 30%.

#3. 30% of employees at businesses with social media policies in place use social media platforms at the workplace to take a mental break from their tasks.

Many employees still use social media websites and applications to get a break from the hectic workday, even though most employers have social media policies. Nearly 40% of staff members at companies without these kinds of regulations use different social media platforms during working hours.

#4. According to 51% of workers, their employer has policies for using social media at the workplace.

Employers now need to take action to regulate social media use during working hours due to the social media boom. Social media policies define the acceptable kind of behavior for a company’s employees online and the circumstances under which they believe it is permissible to utilize social media.

A social media policy guarantees that a company’s brand image is safeguarded and sets clear expectations for personnel.

#5. 98% of workers use social media for personal purposes.

Out of this significant number, around 50% of employees have posted about their employer or job online.

#6. 36% of employers prohibit the use of social media during working hours.

This is an increase of 7% from 2012. Businesses that forbid social media use among their staff members restrict access to Facebook by 20%, Twitter by 15%, and YouTube by 14%. Employers who do not restrict their employees’ social media platform access at the workplace have dropped by 10%.

social-media-at-work-policies-in-the-us
(Source: Zippia.com)

Social Media At Workplace Demographics

Not all type of employees uses all kinds of social media platforms equally. Some websites are more popular than others, particularly with certain age groups. These are some of the most notable demographic trends that can help you learn more about the specifics of how people use social media at work:

#7. Around 23% of workers between the ages of 18 and 29 stated that they found information on a social media platform that has improved their opinions about a colleague.

#8. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are the social networking sites utilized most frequently at work.

#9. In general, men are more addicted to social media than women are, with a percentage of 49.6% compared to 32% of women who have a social media addiction.

#10. 84% of people ages 18 to 29 state that they use any social media platform, compared to 45% of individuals over 65.

Social Media At Work Statistics (Good)

#11. Social media is used by 3 out of 4 employees to keep in touch with their colleagues.

Most of these workers connect with their colleagues via Facebook (82%), followed by LinkedIn (45%) and Instagram (52%). Recently, there has been a 10% increase in the number of connections between coworkers on TikTok.

 how-coworkers-connect-on-social-media
(Source: Zippia.com)

#12. A 2020 study found that 80.4% of participants thought that social media usage at the workplace improved two-way communication.

However, only 50.3% of participants in the same study believed that social media in the workplace did not improve communication between employees and employers.

#13. The top three reasons that workers use social media at their workplace are to stay in touch with loved ones (27%), take a mental break (34%), and support professional relationships (24%).

Other common reasons why employees use social media at their workplace are:

  • Finding information helps them solve their jobs issues (20%).
  • Improving relationships with colleagues (17%).
  • Learning more about someone they work with (17%).
  • Asking questions about their jobs to people outside or within the company (12%).

reasons-that-employees-use-social-media-at-work
(Source: Zippia.com)

Most Common Reasons For Using Social Media Sites At Workplace

#14. 82% of workers think using social media helps them improve their professional connections, and 60% of workers believe that social media aids decision-making.

This view is influenced by the fact that social media at work allows a professional team to communicate quickly and work with one another to address work-related issues effectively.

#15. 78% of workers who use social media for work purposes believe it is excellent for networking and new professional opportunities.

Other advantages cited by employees who use social media for professional reasons include:

  • They are keeping in touch with other experts in their industry (71%).
  • They are interacting with insightful specialists (56%).
  • They get to know their coworkers more personally (51%).

#16. A 2020 study found that approximately 52.7% of participants said that social media usage at work improves work efficiency.

The findings of this study also imply that workers who are unhappy with their jobs may be able to improve their productivity by using social media to relax their minds after hectic tasks.

most-common-social-media-for-work-related-purpose
(Source: Zippia.com)

Social Media At Work Statistics (Bad)

#17. 51% of workers who actively use social media for their work say that social media platforms provide them access to much more information about their colleagues.

Although it has been seen that using social media at work can strengthen relationships among coworkers, this isn’t necessarily a good thing. Keeping colleagues at arm’s length ensures that the relationship stays professional and social media might give people too much access to their team members’ personal lives.

#18. 18.7% of workers claim that they lose 0 to 15 min of official work time per day to social media usage.

In comparison, around 9.4% of workers state that they spend more than 120 minutes each day unproductively on social media during working hours.

AVERAGE WORK TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA PER DAY
(Source: Zippia.com)

Around 41% of these people said they checked their social media accounts during lunch breaks, and 40% said they looked at their social media regularly throughout the day. Just 22.3% of those surveyed claimed they waited to check social media until the end of the day.

#19. 56% of workers who use social media for work believe it distracts them from their daily tasks and responsibilities.

Out of these numbers, around 30% of respondents strongly agree with the statement that using social media while at work distracts them from more important professional tasks.

#20. A 2020 research found that approximately 49% of respondents didn’t agree with the statement that social media at work enhances work performance.

This was a substantially higher percentage than the 33.2% of respondents who said that using social media at work helped them improve their work performance and around 17.8% of respondents who were unsure whether social media improved their professional output.

#21. 1 out of every 5 workers thinks using social media negatively affects their work performance.

In contrast, 16% of people believe using social media at work does not affect their productivity and professional success. In comparison, 4% of people state that they experience both advantages and disadvantages of using it at their workplace.

#22. A 2018 study found that 76% of workers who use social media for their work purposes came across alternative companies they were interested in working for a job.

Comparatively, only 60% of individuals who use social media exclusively for leisure discovered businesses that would entice them to quit their jobs. This implies that social media use at work can negatively affect employee retention.

Social Media To Job Search Statistics

Social media is a powerful networking tool, but it can also be an excellent way to help you find a job as a potential worker or to finance recruitment campaigns as a company. Here are some critical statistics that will help you comprehend how social media is affecting the job market:

#23. According to one research, approximately 70% of companies use social media to evaluate potential job candidates prior to hiring.

#24. According to a study done in 2019, One in ten people found their current position through social media.

#25. In 2018, around 73% of job seekers between 18 and 34 years old said they had found their most recent position through social media.

#26. An increasing 84% of businesses are using social media to hire candidates.

Conclusion

Social media has changed the way people interact with one another and present themselves online. Social media has had a significant impact on the professional world.

Six Degrees, an online network to create a new way of networking online, started social media in 1997. A second platform was designed that allowed people to communicate and post bulletin boards called Friendster.

LinkedIn and MySpace had hit the internet globally and became more popular by 2002. These communication-based websites drew millions of people from the beginning because they allowed for a new way of interacting with other individuals on the internet.

Approximately 4.65 billion people used social media worldwide as of June 2022, and they used various platforms to conduct business and personal activities.

In some regards, the growth of social media has made it a more effective tool for businesses. Businesses rely on social media to spread their brand, use innovative advertising tactics, and interact with their customer base.
Moreover, a lot of workers think that using social media at work has enhanced their interactions with coworkers, workplace communication, decision-making, and even overall productivity.

Despite this, there is a downside to social media’s ever-increasing popularity. Some statistics indicate that enabling social media in the workplace decreases employee retention rates because organizations’ workers are continually exposed to new opportunities.

Most people believe using social media at work can be incredibly distracting and degrade an employee’s overall performance.

Although there are differing views on social media’s place and how it impacts the professional environment, it’s a fact that social media networks will continue to exist, and employers must consider them.

FAQ.

People use social media at work for what reasons?

People use social media at the workplace for various reasons. Although some employees are required to use social networks for job duties, the most prevalent reason workers use social media is to get a mental break from their workloads.

It can be overwhelming and stressful to devote eight hours daily to work. Many workers turn to social media when work pressures become too much. They also consider it a helpful tool to escape for a moment and clear one's mind temporarily.

Other common reasons to use social media at the workplace include gathering information that solves work-related problems, getting in touch with family and friends, and strengthening professional relationships.

How frequently do people use social media at the workplace?

Most people who use social media at the workplace spend no more than 15 minutes daily on different platforms. However, nearly 9.4% of people more than two hours per day browsing social media. This equates to more than 40 hours per month lost due to social media use on a full-time basis.

The effectiveness of their employer may suffer if the time spent on social media is not used effectively.

Is it OK for workers to use social media at work?

There are occasions when using social media at work is acceptable. For instance, if a company explicitly permits social media use at work, employees are free to do so. Social media has become a popular marketing and communication tool for many businesses across the globe. As a result, their social media usage rules may be a little more lenient than others.

Many workers think using social media at the workplace helps them make better decisions, support relationships with colleagues, and increase productivity. Even if social media isn't used explicitly for work-related duties, it can still be a helpful mental break from the office to recharge.

However, if your business has a clear policy against using social media while at work, you should respect this regulation. Employees who fail to do so risk damaging their working relationship with their employer.

How significant is social media at work?

In today's job, social media is crucial. This is because a prior study has indicated that the use of social media may enhance staff productivity and communication.

Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of social media use in the workplace is essential in a time when 99.8% of Fortune 500 businesses use it to promote their brand and enhance communication.

Organizations need to be clear about their stance on social media. Having no policies on employee social media use can have serious negative effects on business success because it could damage their staff's online reputation if they make incorrect posts.

Additionally, businesses without social media policies are more likely to discover that their staff members are accessing the social media platforms unproductively during working hours.

On the other hand, if a firm is clear about its policies regarding using social media for work-related objectives, it may help employees build relationships and communicate effectively.

What percentage of workers use social media at the workplace?

Social networking is used by 77% of workers in the workplace. When considering how many professionals use social media for personal purposes, this enormous percentage of users rises to 98%.

Barry Elad
Barry Elad

Barry is a lover of everything technology. Figuring out how the software works and creating content to shed more light on the value it offers users is his favorite pastime. When not evaluating apps or programs, he's busy trying out new healthy recipes, doing yoga, meditating, or taking nature walks with his little one.

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