More than a quarter of employees (26%) admit that they spend more than one hour per day on social networking sites during work hours, according to a survey of 1,000 U.S. and U.K. residents conducted by news navigation site One News Page. Nearly four in 10 respondents (39%) say they use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter while at work.
Cary Cooper, professor of organizational psychology and health at the U.K.’s Lancaster University Management School, says in a prepared statement, "I suspect there is more than one reason why staff are using social networking sites at work. Of course, there will always be people who take advantage, but bear in mind that employees in the States and the UK work very long hours, so they have to spend some time while at work to organize their lives."
Cooper also notes that while workers may be putting in long hours to show commitment to their employer – and perhaps out of fear of losing their jobs during this prolonged recession – they may, in fact, be underutilized. Cooper also suggests that "For the very busy, using these sites is a good stress reliever. It can take the pressure off for a few moments before they start work again."