Did you know that 75 percent of people feel that their company is behind the curve when it comes to the use of social media?

If platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are prohibited where you work then this might not be all that surprising. Indeed, about half of all U.S. employers block their staff from accessing social networking sites in the office. But why? What are they afraid of?

Well, lots of things, it appears. Porsche, for example, blocked social media in the office because they feared industrial espionage. Goldman Sachs invested heavily in Facebook’s IPO, but prevents its own traders from accessing the site. And with 91 percent of recruiters using social networks to find prospective candidates, many companies don’t like the idea of their employees finding another job on their dime.

Fair enough, you might argue. But the benefits of using social media productively in the workplace far outweigh the negatives. This infographic from Silkroad takes a closer look at why human resources must embrace social media… without asking for their employee’s passwords.

(Source: Silkroad. Human resources image via Shutterstock.)