A recent article on ZDNet suggests that social networking is a huge drain on company resources. The article reports that the practice costs businesses $6.5 billion pounds caused by staff spending on average 30 minutes per day on social networking. Around 30% of this cost, it is claimed, comes from the consumption of band width.
Interestingly, the article reports a growing tension between network managers, who would ban social networking sites completely, and recruiters HR managers, who encourage the practice believing that such sites give them an opportunity without the need for interaction.
The article then sensibly asks the question; what about the benefits of social networking such as the deals that flow from an active network – particularly from sites such as LinkedIn.
Good question that.