'The new smoke break': Study challenges assumption that social media is workplace distraction

A new study is challenging the conventional wisdom that social media is simply a workplace distraction, suggesting instead that the type of content employees encounter online can have measurable effects on their emotions and work behaviours.

While many workers use social media during their workdays, most research has focused on how much time people spend online or the general emotional impact of social media. But this study considers the social information that is seen on social media.

“[It’s about] actually identifying what you see – and it's hard because there's so much that you can see – but… we honed in on those main types of social media posts that seem to pick up people's attention,” says lead author Rebecca Greenbaum, such as controversial or family-themed posts.

“Our unique takeaway is actually looking at the type of information that people are taking in throughout the workday, and how that relates to emotions and motivation and then work outcomes.”

The researchers found that certain types of posts may motivate people at work, or lead to withdrawal or anxiety – indicating there are both pros and cons to consider with the use of social media at work.

“It's not just a distraction. There's a lot actually going on there,” says Greenbaum, professor and associate dean of academic affairs at the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Tracking responses to social media

The researchers set out to understand not just how much social media employees use, but what they are seeing—and how that shapes their workday.

“A lot of the literal social media research is based on quantity,” says co-author Marcus Butts, senior associate dean, faculty & research, and professor of management at the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Texas.

“They say, ‘OK, well, if you use more social media, this is the outcome.’ And … studies outside of management really focused on anxiety and social isolation, those types of factors.”
This latest research provides “a whole other level of nuance, he says.

“We go way beyond quantity and say, ‘OK, well, what about the specific aspects of social media?’”

To capture the real impact of these posts through a quantitative study, the team – which also included Mary Mawritz of Drexel University, Matthew Quade of Baylor University and Hoda Vaziri of the University of North Texas – used a daily experience sampling method.

“We said, ‘OK, across 10 days, every time that you go on social media and see a post, you then are going to fill out a survey,’” says Butts. “After they completed that, then later on in the day, they answered questions about self-assurance, anxiety… and then, later on, about their goal progress at work that day, their social withdrawal that day.”

This approach allowed the researchers to track how specific content seen on social media affected employees’ emotions and behaviours that same day, rather than relying on vague, retrospective reports.

This allowed the researchers “to get at their perspective or impressions in the moment, and then also to track that throughout the day to see how it impacts them,” says Butts.

“We try to catch people right after the moment happens… it's just a much more nuanced or specific way to think about our interactions with social media on a day-to-day basis.”

Four key types of social content

Through communications science, technology literature and subject matter experts, the researchers identified four main types of social media content that stand out:

• Attractive: physically appealing content that is socially incentivizing because it signals that the person is connected to a community that is desirable and supports their social needs: “Thus, in a work context, perceiving attractive social media content can activate self-assurance that then motivates work goal progress because these behaviours instill benefits that match the approach motivational frame.”
• Family: content appreciating family, prioritizing family, and being connected to a tight-knit family that is socially incentivizing because it reminds people of the primacy of family relationships and signals positive social support. This “activates the approach motivational state of self-assurance that directs energy towards work-goal progress because these approach behaviours provide additional benefits related to one's security and well-being,” says the study.
• Contentious: content perceived as argumentative or controversial is socially costly because it suggests that one's social belonging could be under threat, which “is expected to activate anxiety that then drives the avoidance behaviours of social withdrawal because these behaviours protect the employee from additional social setbacks.”
• Accomplished: content showcasing success or expertise that can have dual implications for social incentives and costs, being positive (by “sparking approach motivation because being exposed to others' accomplishments can boost one's drive and confidence to secure similar, rewarding outcomes”) or negative (in driving “the avoidance behaviors of social withdrawal because pulling away from people within the work context reduces the likelihood of being exposed to additional instances of social inferiority,” says the study).

While there are other dimensions that people could potentially look at, the researchers wanted to start small so the study could be much more controlled, says Greenbaum.

“We thought, ‘OK, these seem to be the most salient, they tend to stand out to people the most.’ So, we can look at these as a starting place to try to understand how this social information on social media affects us when we see it on a day-to-day basis.”

Approach and avoidance at work

The study is grounded in the theory of approach and avoidance social motivation, which posits that some experiences motivate us to pursue goals (approach), while others make us withdraw (avoidance).

“There are certain situations or events that may occur that would motivate us in a way that instills in us a sense of approach motivation… There's other events that you might experience in life that make you feel more anxious and make you pull away,” she says.

Butts highlights the importance of relevance: “We always ask people about their most salient post… there's an underlying theme of importance or relevance to the person. And so that's really important from an approach, avoidance, motivation, goal kind of framework.”

And one of the newer theories related to motivation is the social element, says Greenbaum.

“The newer theories associated with this says that our social interactions, not just our own personal goals, can drive this sense of approach and avoidance motivation as well.”

For example, having discussions with a friend who’s doing amazing things, such as writing a book, can motivate someone to do the same.

And that theory doesn’t just apply to in-person social interactions – it can also apply to what people experience through social media, she says.

“What we find is that when you're in the work context and observe those types of things, there are social elements to that engagement that can make it so you feel more motivated throughout the workday or you withdraw from the workday,” she says.

“You feel like, ‘Wow, I can do this, too.’ And then maybe you approach your workday with a little bit more zest and more focus and more drive to get what you need to get done… Whatever's sticking out to you in terms of your observations within social media, that day is going to drive different behaviour.”

Anxiety or progress at work

The results were clear: seeing attractive, family, and accomplished posts was linked to increased self-assurance and greater progress on work goals.

“What we find is that when you do identify something as being attractive to you, family-oriented, and in some cases also accomplished, it makes you feel more built up and it makes you feel more self-assured in yourself,” says Greenbaum.

Contentious posts, on the other hand, were associated with anxiety and social withdrawal; for example, seeing a post with political views that differ from their own.

“It can make me feel like, in the moment, that perhaps my views are wrong or I have to defend them or I’m not keeping up with the times,” she says. “[So,] I just need to kind of go internal and withdraw for a while, just because I don't want my sense of self and my social connections to be devalued any further or to potentially be ruined any further.”

Notably, the “accomplished” category could trigger both positive and negative reactions, depending on the individual.

“But, in general, those three categories – family, attractive and accomplished – do have this ability to drive this sense of self-assurance where people are feeling better about themselves, more bold, more proud,” says Greenbaum.

“Maybe it's because they're choosing that to focus on which can then result in their own approach of behaviours at the work … which we identify as goal progress… but when you get the contentious, it is a more direct line to that anxiety and social withdrawal.”

Practical advice for employees, employers

So, what does this mean for the modern workplace? Greenbaum suggesting being a little bit more mindful: “Don't be on autopilot… It's almost like we're craving the sensationalism of what goes on in social media, and it gives that reward kick.”

Instead, people at work should take a moment to consider if now is really the right time to go on social media, she says.

“Maybe it is. Maybe you truly are just bored and you need that kick and maybe seeing family posts and attractiveness posts will give you that kick. So… it truly is just a work break for you. But if something's going on with like a national election or a famous person is saying something controversial… and you think it’s going to annoy you… maybe it's time to pump the brakes.”

Greenbaum also suggests organizations consider treating social media as a structured work break, akin to the “old school smoke break,” rather than something employees do often through the day.

“It's just there all the time; we can always get on it but maybe it's a better thing to be like old school smoke breaks where you just do it when you can actually walk away from the desk … Having more increments to devote to this, to get your fill, but then mentally switching away from that so you can be more fully engaged could be a way to go.”

Butts agrees that there is a “tipping point” when it comes to the frequency of social media usage, and complete bans at work don’t make sense.

“But I do see some benefits from the positive side in terms of those things that help us with our self-assurance, that help us kind of flourish in the workplace. So beyond just social media in terms of our own friends outside of work, but also those inside of work,” he says.

“We have to just keep that in mind and try to accelerate the positive aspects and try to do something to tamper some of the contentious because one of the strongest effects was that contentious content really does drive anxiety and withdrawal.”

Butts adds that there are also opportunities here as social media becomes more integrated with workplace messaging platforms.

“If there's ways to mimic some of the features of social media in some of the messaging platforms like Slack and Teams, there are some potential benefits. So, when you're seeing fellow teammates posting things that you may view as attractive or family content, that may actually benefit you during the workday… as we show that during the workday, there are means to then motivate you and make you more self-assured.”