Why Social Media May Weaken the Moral Fiber of Your Workplace Of all the benefits of social media, it could also lead to ethical woes in the workplace.

By Mikal E. Belicove

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Why Social Media May Weaken the Moral Fiber of Your WorkplaceMuch is said about the benefits of social media for businesses, but what about the drawbacks? Though we've long heard about the productivity drain among employees who use social media at work, a new downside is getting some attention: ethical violations.

Active social networkers in the office -- those who spend 30 percent or more of their time at work participating on social networking sites -- have a more tolerant attitude than their coworkers toward a number of questionable workplace behaviors, according to a new report from the Ethics Resource Center (ERC), an ethics researcher in Arlington, Va.

For example, half of active social networkers say it's just fine to hang onto confidential work documents for possible use in future jobs. Only 15 percent of their non-social networking peers believe that's acceptable. In addition, by a five-to-one margin, social networkers think it's acceptable to perform less work in order to compensate for cuts in benefits or pay. They also gossip about their workplace and coworkers more often than their less social peers.

Socially adept employees may be more likely to slack off and engage in traditionally unethical behavior simply because of job dissatisfaction, as seven in 10 employees reported having plans to switch jobs in the next five years. That was compared to four in 10 of their non-active social networking colleagues.

Web-savvy employees aren't the only ethics violators these days. The number of employees who report feeling pressured to compromise their own standards in order to perform their jobs is also on the rise.

Thirteen percent of employees said they felt pressure to break the rules. That's the highest level since 2000. And the percentage of employees who think their company has a weak ethics culture increased to 42 percent in 2011 -- up 7 percent over two years ago and attaining the highest level since 2000.

Why the increase in workplace wrongdoing? More than three quarters of those surveyed said their companies are beginning to hire or restore salaries, and they're seeing fewer belt-tightening measures compared to 2009. As a result, some employees are losing their fear of dismissal and returning to risky behaviors such as sexual harassment, substance abuse, stealing and health or safety violations.

So what's the solution to a work world where tolerance for bad behavior is on the rise? The ERC study suggests companies invest in building a strong ethics and compliance program and commit leadership to focus on ethics in business culture. Its findings show that raising behavioral issues internally -- and early -- is essential to reducing this growing culture.

How have you dealt with ethical violations at your company? Leave a comment and let us know.

Mikal E. Belicove is a market positioning, social media, and management consultant specializing in website usability and business blogging. His latest book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Facebook, is now available at bookstores. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

I Started a Semi-Passive Side Hustle That Earns $33,000 a Week on Amazon: 'Selling There Is a No-Brainer'

Dr. Jenny Woo wanted to create a product that would help people connect, and it turned out to be a lucrative one.

Marketing

How Augmented Reality Is Transforming the Marketing Landscape — and How Your Business Can Leverage It Effectively

How can physical goods be endowed with digital content? What is phygital marketing, and why will everyone be involved in it in the next five years? Here's what you need to know.

Business News

X Is Losing Users and Struggling to Attract Creators, According to New Data

The company, which is owned by Elon Musk, says that 1.7 million people join the platform every day.

Science & Technology

Why You Should Incorporate AI into Your Business — and How to Do It the Right Way

The proliferation of generative AI tools has made the technology ever more accessible and relevant. Here's how you can apply it to your business as well.

Money & Finance

You Might Spend Unnecessary Money If You Don't Stay on Top of Your Expenses. Here's How to Manage Them.

Nothing makes paying taxes even more onerous — or gets in the way of a firm understanding of how a business is performing — than ineffective expense management. Use these five expense management tips to not merely survive as a business, but thrive.