1. Why do you think results are so mixed on the use of social networking in the workplace?
2. What are some possible upsides to utilizing social media as part of an integrated marketing strategy, especially in digital marketing?
3. What are the downsides to restricting employee access to social networking sites?

This case discusses the controversy over whether employees should be allowed to use social media at work. Studies are conflicted over whether using social media in the workplace detracts from productivity. Active social networkers are those who spend more than 30 percent of their work time on social networking sites, which is costly for companies. One study found that there was a 1.5 percent loss of productivity for businesses allowing social media access. Another study revealed that employees who took time out from work to engage in social media were actually more productive. Managers that ban the use of social media may encounter resistance, especially from younger employees who see a ban as a type of censorship. On the other hand, some companies have decided to incorporate social networking as part of an integrated marketing strategy. Although bans on social media are becoming increasingly common in the workplace, businesses might want to consider whether they can take the potential problems of social media and turn them to the company’s advantage.