Acas, the workplace relationship body, has published a social media guide for the workplace in response to the increased use of social networks by employees in the workplace. Apparently, nearly six out of 10 staff now access social networks at work, either via their computer or smartphone, every day.

The guide urges employers not to be "heavy-handed" by penalising staff for unprofessional comments on websites such as Facebook. It suggests that online behaviour should be judged within specific contexts, as offline behaviour is and that if managers check on employees' use of social media, they should make it known what they scrutinise and why.

Acas advises bosses to draft their own social media policy in order to avoid staff confusion about what is and isn't allowed online and that such policies should preach common sense and apply principles used in the real world rather than be too heavy handed.

There seem to be two concerns here - one about time being spent on social media that should be spent 'working' and the other is about what is being said by employees about employers via social media.

I'm old enough to remember more or less exactly the same conversations taking place about employees' use of the internet during work time. In the end it comes down to employee performance and engagement. Employee performance should be judged on outputs - are they getting their jobs done and doing them well? If so, then time spent on social media is obviously not having a negative impact. If not, then you've got to ask why? Chances are, there is a lot more to it than simply use of social media. Employee engagement matters because happy staff are unlikely to be making negative comments about their employer on line. When employees are complaining, whether it be on line or with their mates down the pub, then again, you've got to get to the nub of the issue. Social media may make employee gripes visible, but it is not likely to be the cause of them.

Read more about the Acas guide in today's Daily Telegraph via this link http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/management-advice/8739391/Think-Tank-How-to-snoop-on-employees-without-causing-offence.html