Facebook misuse costs UK employers 132 million a day resulting in a total of 30.8 billion a year

Facebook abuse by workers is costing UK companies 132 million a day, according to new research issued today by Peninsula, the employment law firm. The research also shows that 233 million hours are lost a month due to workers wasting employers time on social networking sites such as Facebook. The problem will cost employers 30.8 billion per year and is to escalate.

ìWhy should employers allow their workers to waste 2 hours a day on Facebook when they are being paid to do a job?î said Mike Huss, Employment Law Director at Peninsula.

ìThe figures that we have calculated are minimums and itís a problem that I foresee will escalate. Some companies are happy to let their workers use the internet for personal use, assuming that goals and targets are achieved. However loss of productivity through social networks such as Facebook is proving to be a major headache and my advice would be for companies to block access.î

ìContinued misuse of the internet by an employee is a situation when disciplining and sacking a worker is acceptable. Sites such as Facebook will only get more popular as time goes by and so I anticipate productivity will suffer as a consequenceî comments Mr Huss.

Employers should have clear policies in place that spell out to workers what they can and cannot use the internet for. They need to define what is and what's not acceptable during working hours. Bosses should continually remind staff that abusing company facilities such as accessing Facebook in company time is simply not tolerated. Repeated abuse may result in the employer taking action whenever anyone oversteps the mark. explained Mr Huss

If a company can police the system, and only allow limited access during lunch breaks then this is fine however I think it would be easier and less expensive to ban access altogether. Introducing a system to monitor when workers access Facebook, may prove costly.î

There will always be questions asking whether Facebook is a motivational tool or not, many companies are blocking sites such as Facebook whilst many will embrace it as a tool which they can use for business. However other potential problems exist such as an employerís liability for comments posted by workers directed at other colleagues. This may even spell out discriminative tribunal claims if comments are taken to heart.

Huss concludes; ìEmployers should take action now, either carefully monitor facebook use or ban it completely otherwise it could escalate into a serious productivity problem.î