Millennials Reshape Companies' Social Media Policies

Millennials are the digital generation. They've grown up surrounded by and depending on technology, social media being no exception. Their habits are formed long before they enter the workforce, and it's unlikely that they'll abandon these habits in the workplace. Generation Y is also the most likely to use technology for work.

According to CompTIA's recent study, "Generational Research on Technology and its Impact in the Workplace," nearly two-thirds of Gen Y workers use a personal device or application for work purposes, while only one-third of baby boomers do the same.

Perhaps more surprisingly, 90% of 20-something employees use Facebook for both personal and work purposes. It is possible that millennials are skirting any policy your company put in place, but it is more likely that they aren't aware of the seriousness of the matter -- or perhaps even that a specific policy exists.

Common Policy Mistakes

Companies can make a host of mistakes when crafting and enforcing social media policy. Here are the three that we've found to be the most prevalent.

-- Focusing on lost productivity, instead of noting the benefits. Sixty-four percent of employees in our study agreed that using social media at work for personal purposes was a threat to productivity, yet ignoring the benefits of social media can stall your company's overall growth. A whitepaper from Harvard Business Review found that nearly 80% of organizations are using or plan to use social platforms as business tools. That number is only set to increase.

-- Establishing one policy for everyone. Each employee has a different role or function and probably has unique access to confidential business information. Yet many companies craft only one social media policy. Ideally, organizations should have separate social stipulations for employees based on their credentials, access to important information and responsibilities.

Read the rest of this article on Internet Evolution.