Can We Be Friends?

A recent survey found that six in 10 senior managers say they are uncomfortable being friended on Facebook by their bosses or the employees they supervise.

August 14, 2013

MENLO PARK, Calif. – A recent OfficeTeam survey reveals a bit of “friend-ly” advice for Facebook in the workplace: “Proceed with caution.”

More than six in 10 senior managers surveyed by OfficeTeam said they are uncomfortable being friended by their bosses (68 percent) or the employees they supervise (62%), up from 47% and 48% of respondents, respectively, in a similar survey conducted in 2009. In addition, nearly half (49%) of those recently polled prefer not to connect with coworkers on Facebook, compared to 41% in 2009.

"People have different comfort levels when it comes to social media, so it's best not to blanket colleagues with friend requests," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Along with being selective about who you ask to connect with online, you should always post prudently. You don't want to share information that could reflect poorly on you."

Hosking added, "Although some people are hesitant to reach out to business contacts via social networks, there can be a benefit to doing so — if you approach it the right way."

OfficeTeam suggests — before connecting with a co-worker — Facebook users review their profile and make sure there isn't anything posted that could damage their professional image. For those concerned about slighting people by turning down Facebook invites, users can accept friend requests but use privacy settings and lists to control who can view certain content.

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