Arlington, VA – Today, the Ethics Resource Center released its latest report, National Business Ethics Survey of Social Networkers: New Risks and Opportunities at Work. The study investigates how social networking is affecting the way work gets done, reshaping relationships among workers at all levels of an organization, and altering attitudes about the type of conduct that is acceptable in the workplace.
Major findings show that the more active the social networker, the more likely they are to encounter ethics risks (witness misconduct, feel pressure to compromise standards, and experience retaliation for reporting misconduct). The report also indicates that, despite what many think, social networks are not only for younger employees. Forty-seven percent of active social networkers are under the age of 30, but not far behind, 40 percent are between the ages of 30 and 44. “Social networking is transforming the office environment in unpredictable ways, with changes that could potentially involve employees at all levels.” said ERC’s President, Dr. Patricia J. Harned. “It is important that those in leadership roles do not fall behind the curve, so they are prepared to act in ways that will seize the opportunities social networking creates, while limiting the risk.” Among the more notable findings is the amount of time employees are spending on social networks. Almost three out of four social networkers (72 percent) spend at least some time of their workday on social networking sites, and 28 percent say such activity adds up to an hour or more of every workday. One third of those workers also admit that none of that activity is work related. "The ERC study results reinforce our observations about social media in the business environment," notes Andrea Falcione, Managing Director at PwC. "Social media is not widely regarded by compliance professionals as a top compliance risk, and advanced uses of social media and social monitoring to provide indicators of risk are still relatively nascent. Social media is a relatively new space, but it's clearly here to stay." “Given the startling usage statistics revealed by the study, it’s abundantly clear that employers need to address social networking in the workplace with greater urgency,” said Shanti Atkins, president and chief strategy officer, NAVEX Global. “The study recommends that policies and training on appropriate behavior should be in place because they can change behavior, but an opportunity also exists for employers to utilize the medium to more effectively engage employees, to enhance the ethics and compliance program and to positively impact workplace culture.” This study is the most recent in a series of surveys conducted by ERC. The report reflects a survey of 2,089 workers at U.S.-based companies who were active on at least one social networking site. The survey was conducted from September 5 – 12, 2012, with the sample being provided by Precision Sample, LLC. To download the full report, go to ethics.org/nbes. This report was made possible by generous contributions from our sponsors, PricewaterhouseCoopers and NAVEX Global. About PwC USPwC US helps organizations and individuals create the value they're looking for. We're a member of the PwC network of firms in 158 countries with more than 180,000 people. We're committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at www.pwc.com/US. Learn more about PwC by following us online: @PwC_LLP, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+. About NAVEX GlobalNAVEX Global is the trusted global ethics and compliance expert for more than 8,000 clients in over 200 countries – the largest ethics and compliance community in the world. We provide a comprehensive suite of software and services to manage governance, risk and compliance (GRC), providing critical cross-program insights thorough unmatched expertise and actionable data. More information can be found at www.navexglobal.com. About the Ethics Resource CenterThe Ethics Resource Center is devoted to independent research and the advancement of high ethical standards and practices in public and private institutions. Visit us at www.ethics.org.Arlington, VA – Today, the Ethics Resource Center released its latest report, National Business Ethics Survey of Social Networkers: New Risks and Opportunities at Work. The study investigates how social networking is affecting the way work gets done, reshaping relationships among workers at all levels of an organization, and altering attitudes about the type of conduct that is acceptable in the workplace.Major findings show that the more active the social networker, the more likely they are to encounter ethics risks (witness misconduct, feel pressure to compromise standards, and experience retaliation for reporting misconduct). The report also indicates that, despite what many think, social networks are not only for younger employees. Forty-seven percent of active social networkers are under the age of 30, but not far behind, 40 percent are between the ages of 30 and 44. “Social networking is transforming the office environment in unpredictable ways, with changes that could potentially involve employees at all levels.” said ERC’s President, Dr. Patricia J. Harned. “It is important that those in leadership roles do not fall behind the curve, so they are prepared to act in ways that will seize the opportunities social networking creates, while limiting the risk.” Among the more notable findings is the amount of time employees are spending on social networks. Almost three out of four social networkers (72 percent) spend at least some time of their workday on social networking sites, and 28 percent say such activity adds up to an hour or more of every workday. One third of those workers also admit that none of that activity is work related. "The ERC study results reinforce our observations about social media in the business environment," notes Andrea Falcione, Managing Director at PwC. "Social media is not widely regarded by compliance professionals as a top compliance risk, and advanced uses of social media and social monitoring to provide indicators of risk are still relatively nascent. Social media is a relatively new space, but it's clearly here to stay." “Given the startling usage statistics revealed by the study, it’s abundantly clear that employers need to address social networking in the workplace with greater urgency,” said Shanti Atkins, president and chief strategy officer, NAVEX Global. “The study recommends that policies and training on appropriate behavior should be in place because they can change behavior, but an opportunity also exists for employers to utilize the medium to more effectively engage employees, to enhance the ethics and compliance program and to positively impact workplace culture.” This study is the most recent in a series of surveys conducted by ERC. The report reflects a survey of 2,089 workers at U.S.-based companies who were active on at least one social networking site. The survey was conducted from September 5 – 12, 2012, with the sample being provided by Precision Sample, LLC. To download the full report, go to ethics.org/nbes. This report was made possible by generous contributions from our sponsors, PricewaterhouseCoopers and NAVEX Global. About PwC USPwC US helps organizations and individuals create the value they're looking for. We're a member of the PwC network of firms in 158 countries with more than 180,000 people. We're committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at www.pwc.com/US. Learn more about PwC by following us online: @PwC_LLP, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+. About NAVEX GlobalNAVEX Global is the trusted global ethics and compliance expert for more than 8,000 clients in over 200 countries – the largest ethics and compliance community in the world. We provide a comprehensive suite of software and services to manage governance, risk and compliance (GRC), providing critical cross-program insights thorough unmatched expertise and actionable data. More information can be found at www.navexglobal.com. About the Ethics Resource CenterThe Ethics Resource Center is devoted to independent research and the advancement of high ethical standards and practices in public and private institutions. Visit us at www.ethics.org.