Employees find Facebook friend request from boss annoying

Washington: Getting a friend request on Facebook is usually exciting, but when it comes from a boss or manager, a majority of workers said they are uncomfortable in accepting it.

And they have a good reason to have those feelings. In a research by Fierce Inc., nearly 1 in 3 employees said they know of a person who has been reprimanded for inappropriate postings on Facebook. That research also found that 40 percent of employees engage in inappropriate communications with co-workers on Facebook, including everything from gossiping to flirting. Despite those risks, more than 80 percent of workers said they use Facebook at work. Though the vast majority of workers use the social networking site, more than 50 percent of respondents stated that Facebook is ineffective at enhancing relationships at work. And 16 percent of workers asserted that they have lost respect for co-workers because of things they posted on Facebook. Not only does Facebook cause discomfort among co-workers, but it also has a number of other negative consequences as well. While 23 percent of people claimed that Facebook negatively impacts their productivity at work, 18 percent said that sharing personal information is uncomfortable. Halley Bock, CEO and president of Fierce Inc., which conducted the research, said that organizations should think very, very carefully about forbidding any communication or potential team-building tools in the office, whether it be Facebook, sports fantasy leagues or political conversations. The research was based on the response of 800 employees and executives from several industries. ANI