Business-to-Facebook?

Is Facebook good for the workplace? In reading an article that attempts to answer this question, I formed my own opinion of “Facebooking” in the Workplace. Though Facebook, and many other social networking sites, have proved to be very effective not only for social needs, but business needs as well, is it really professional to use it in the workplace I would like to ask. It is true, Facebook and sites alike have revolutionized into major marketing tools but its primary use is, and was originally, for personal social purposes.

When creating a Facebook, the main idea is to befriend as many people as possible, join as many groups as you can, upload tons of photos, send loads of bumper stickers, and let the world know what you are up to via status. There was not too much talk on how to create a Facebook that would sell products, ideas, and organizations until recently.

My concern is the unwritten rule we’ve created as a society that there should not be a mix of business, friendship, or family and how Facebook is creating an exception. While working, contacting anyone outside of your main objective for this particular job is a distraction. For a business that is a stickler of staff productivity, the usage of Facebook in the workplace, in addition to distraction, can be harmful for the workplace since there is no room for play. If there is a certain number of employees working a shift or on a project and there is a quota or deadline and half of those people have wasted time on Facebook, how much progress can be made?

This blog is not to bash businesses that chose to incorporate their marketing strategies into social networking sites but a line should be drawn where there is too much commercial in social activities. If people are interested in businesses, they will seek them. I’m afraid the extra room for business in the online social networking world has become too invasive.