When 250 IT managers were asked to identify their top security concern, their #1 response was “employees using applications on social networks” during the workday, according to Network Box. Not only do companies face an increased risk of computer viruses from sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn, but they also lose a significant percentage of their corporate bandwidth. A whopping 10% of business bandwidth, for example, is lost to employees watching YouTube videos.

In response to these types of serious concerns, the majority of organizations (including the U.S. Marine Corps) have already banned access to social networking sites altogether (source: Wired). However, employees continue to access those sites through their cell phones while at work, leading to growing frustration among managers as overall productivity suffers. Spending time on Facebook, for example, has been linked with lower productivity at work and lower grades in college.

As a corporate marketing director explained to York College undergraduates:

“Multitasking is a myth. You got a great job. Turn off the cell phone. Stop texting.”

And, she might add, consider the impact of social networking sites on your career and your company!