‘Don’t ban Facebook’, companies told
Employers shouldn’t go as far as altogether banning social media site Facebook from their offices, a leading UK workers’ organisation has said.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) says that firms are within their rights to outlaw use of social networking sites during the day - but adds that a total ban on access to such web pages is an unnecessary "over reaction".
Organisations should work with staff and unions "to devise a sensible conduct policy" which would allow use during lunch breaks and at other times, the TUC says.
"Simply cracking down on use of new web tools like Facebook is not a sensible solution to a problem, which is only going to get bigger," General secretary Brendan Barber said.
"It’s unreasonable for employers to try to stop their staff from having a life outside work, just because they can’t get their heads around the technology.
"Better to invest a little time in working out sensible conduct guidelines, so that there don’t need to be any nasty surprises for staff or employers."
