A new survey of 1,000 British and American professionals from Dublin-based digital tech firm Scredible plc, developer of socially driven education technologies, shows that over a third (38%) of U.S. professionals blame useless content for keeping them off social media.
The study, which surveyed full-time professionals aged 20-45 also finds that around a quarter of Americans (24%) think there is too much spam on social media. In addition, 26% simply do not have time to post during the working day. A further 25% are worried about what their employers might think of their social media profiles, including how what they share might be judged.
The survey reveals a stark contrast between U.S. and UK professionals, with American professionals notably more aware of how beneficial having a good social media profile can be in a business environment. Furthermore, 75% of U.S. pros believe their online profile can have a positive effect on their reputation at work, compared to just 57% of Brits. And when it comes to career development, 54% of Americans recognize that their social media presence will be important for their careers in 5 years’ time, compared with only 39% of Brits.
“Our research shows that American professionals are more social savvy than their British counterparts,” said Colin Lucas-Mudd, CEO at Scredible, in a news release. “Americans are more willing to learn through online channels [48% of Americans say they have learned a lot this way, compared to just 29% of Brits] and use this knowledge to advance their careers.
“But the same concerns come up across both the U.S. and UK markets when it comes to being more engaged online: how hard it is to find good content, the time required to sift through spam, and—especially in the U.S.—the worry that bosses will judge what’s posted on social media,” he continued.
“The UK is renowned globally for its creative, digital industries, but history demonstrates that they often fail to exploit the enormous commercial, development and educational opportunities presented by a more connected world,” Lucas-Mudd added. “Businesses and individuals that are quickest to recognize the benefits of an active social profile are set to get ahead of the competition, both locally and abroad. More awareness is needed everywhere, but Brits can certainly learn from the U.S. in this regard if they are to catch up and remain competitive.”
Other key findings of the survey include:
- Only 3% think social media currently provides useful, educational content
- 57% of men and 51% of women think social media should be banned in the office
- Only 7% believe that social media is most useful for researching topics
- 4% think its most useful for finding a job
- 11% of respondents think employees can damage a company’s reputation through using social media
Source: Business Wire; edited by Richard Carufel
