More than 60 percent of state sector employees waste at least two hours a day on social media, especially Facebook, a recent survey has revealed.

 The survey was carried out by the Government and Provincial Government Trade Union Federation during the last three months in 350 public sector organisations throughout the country. It had found that around 60 per cent of state workers visited social media sites via their mobile phones during working hours to the neglect of their duties, General Secretary of the GPGTUF Ajith K. Tillekaratne told The Island yesterday.

The findings of the survey carried out with the help of a group of trade union members had been conveyed to the President, Prime Minister, Minister of Public Administration and

Management and all secretaries to ministries, Tillekaratne said.

The study covered the employees of primary, secondary and staff grade in the public sector.

Minister of Public Administration and Management Ranjith Maddumabandara was not available for comment at the time of going to press.

Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister W. D.J. Seneviratne the time wasted by public officers on social media was a huge problem. In many other countries including South Korea the use of the Internet by public workers could be monitored during their working hours.

The minister said the government would take the findings into consideration and develop a mechanism to prevent public workers from wasting their working hours.