Social Media Cartoon: First Day On The Job Where Social Media Is Blocked

I recently participated in a conversation on LinkedIn entitled “Should Employees Be Allowed To Use Social Media?” in one of the social media groups where I participate.  While the responses where overwhelmingly in favor of not only allowing, but encouraging employees to engage online, I was befuddled by the fact that this question even exists. My response was the following:

In case you’re interested, the active hyperlink to the article mentioned is here.

I understand that everyone can’t sit around and play on Facebook all day, but there are great opportunities for research, competitive intelligence, professional development, and networking when these sites are used correctly. This got me thinking about those poor souls who take social media strategy positions with companies who are still thinking that it’s better to harness their employees by blocking social media sites, rather than educating them on the most effective ways to leverage these tools to do their job. The result was the comic strip below.

If you have ever been stuck in the situation, I’d love to hear about it and how you (hopefully) overcame it!