A new survey developed by Robert Half Technology has those of us who want to social network at work possibly waiting until after hours. According to Robert Half, fifty-four percent of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) recently interviewed said their firms don’t allow employees to visit social networking sites for any reason while working.

19 percent of CIOs said that social networking was “permitted for business purposes only”, while 16 percent said social network use was OK for limited personal use, and 10 percent saying that were OK with letting employees use the networks for any kind of personal use.

Robert Half Technology is a provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm, according to its Web site.

“The survey was based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the U.S. with 100 or more employees,” said Robert Half Technology in an email to College News. “A variety of industries were represented as well, including manufacturing, retail, finance, professional services, construction, wholesale, transportation and business services.”

Some at Robert Half Technology have said that using social networking sites could potentially divert attention away from more pressing priorities that employees could have.

“Many Gen Y professionals in particular, frequently use these sites, and businesses are learning that social networking, when used properly can be an effective business tool,” Robert Half Technology said to College News. “Companies that have social networking policies in place should outline what is and isn’t permissible for employees.”

Robert Half Technology told College News that Facebook and Twitter has changed office life by providing another medium for broad, up-to-the-minute communication and business. “However, for companies that do allow employee access to these sites at work, it’s important to keep in mind that time spent on these sites can take away from productivity,” Robert Half Technology said. “Employees should always exercise good judgment, no matter how lenient their company’s policy.

It’s a sentiment that Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology, echoes in the press release by saying, “Professionals should let common sense prevail when using Facebook and similar sites—even outside of business hours. Regrettable posts can be a career liability.”

Speaking of which: If you do post at work, then you should always watch what you Tweet or post on Facebook. Recently, a waiter was fired because of a tweet about an actress on the HBO show “Hung.” Jane Adams left the restaurant where he works because she forgot her wallet in her car. She never returned and a representative came back the next day to pay the bill, without a tip.

The waiter then tweeted about it, along with other celebrity encounters, on his Twitter page. A while later, Adams came back to pay the tip, saying that she’d read about his Tweet on Twitter. Adams then reportedly filed a complaint with the restaurant managers, who responded by examining the waiter’s Twitter account. After that, he was fired. So it just goes to show: watch your Tweet.

Our Take:

This is a tough one. I love social networking sites and they’re a lot of fun to have with friends. However, if your company does allow them, what I’d recommend is using privacy or locks on your social networking sites. It helps to just communicate within your friends’ circle, and besides, you won’t have anyone asking about your inside jokes!