MailGuard, a security company, and Swinburne University of Technology found out the use of internet and online social networks by employees in the workplace don't necessarily have a bad effect to the business.

The test that has been running for three years closely monitored approximately 50,000 employees. The study shows that an estimated one fifth of the workforce spend a maximum of two hours everyday on the internet and this includes the use of Facebook. Craig McDonald, MailGuard chief executive, said that the usual approach for employers is to ban the use of internet. But he recommends otherwise. He contends that an employee using the internet for at least an hour may very well stay longer in the office and work for more than eight hours.

"As long as the job is getting done by the individual, then you should probably leave them alone. Don't go and turn everything off, because that 12 hours may turn to eight hours, and you've lost some time there."

McDonald suggests that there may be negative consequences should the usual policy on internet use in businesses be applied still.

In the end, McDonald encourages business owners to have their own system of monitoring their workforce as to the time they spend for online social networking and internet surfing.