A YouGov survey of 2,000 adults has found wide-ranging attitudes to social networks among business users.

While some firms have delayed deploying social media because of fears that it will distract workers, others have been quick to speak of the benefits.

Half of those surveyed were banned from using social networks while at work, and 15 per cent saw social networking as a negative influence in the workplace.

However, six per cent of respondents would not take a job without access to social tools, and 20 per cent believe that a corporate Facebook account would be better than their existing collaboration tools.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of respondents who saw positive aspects in social media in the workplace were in the younger age groups.

"As the building of relationships and communities has been lost to email, which does not build rapport and causes much stress and pain, people have been looking online for new ways to collaborate," said Craig Hepburn, strategy director at content management firm Open Text, which commissioned the research.

The transparency of social networks is also driving uptake, according to Hepburn. "People respond quicker to collaborative tools like Twitter than they do email because they are openly seen to be helping people," he said.