So says a new Nucleus Research study, which also estimates that nearly two-thirds of Facebook users access Facebook at work. On average, they spend 15 minutes on the site during work hours ...

Usually Google gets all the attention for its latest, online tools. But recently, Microsoft grabbed the headlines for adding zippy new features to Internet Explorer. Here are four IE (version 8) features to save you time:

Have you discovered all the shortcuts buried within Excel? Try zipping around Excel spreadsheets using these keyboard techniques.

More than 33 million Americans now work remotely at least one day per month, according to the “Telework Trendlines 2009” survey report. Still, most managers have been trained to work with employees who are only physically present to them. How can you manage what you can’t see? Here are some tips for bosses who manage teleworkers:

While some Web 2.0 tools are about socializing and idea-swapping, LinkedIn is the only tool completely devoted to business networking. Nurturing your online presence could lead to job offers, new knowledge or a beefed-up reputation as an expert.

You may be using Twitter.com already. If not, it’s worth taking a second look. Why? Because savvy businesses are using the tool to do some of what you do already—smooth out the information flow between leadership and everyone else. Here's how Twitter can help you on the job:

Be honest with yourself: Do you have a love/hate relationship with Excel? You know the power it wields, but does Excel end up costing you time and stress? Here are a few tips on how to navigate and maximize your spreadsheets:

Who has the best burger in Boise? Where do locals go for the freshest seafood? ... Here are three online tools for travelers who love to dine out: Twitter, Yelp and Chowhound.

Imagine typing only about half of what you do now. With typing-expansion software, you can turn words you type often into abbreviations. For example, type “t” for “the,” and “ty” for “thank you.” What shorthand did for handwritten note-taking, this software can do for typing.

You need to show Tom how you pull together monthly data, and one of the newly hired assistants needs coaching on some online tools. Here’s an easy way to accomplish both: Screencast-o-Matic lets you create a video from your screen (your “screencast”) and upload it to share.

When employees hunch over keyboards all day, all the motivational posters in all the break rooms of the world won’t improve their health. Health care giant Kaiser Permanente—a leader in designing wellness programs for other organizations—wondered what it could do to get its own staff to eat better and exercise more. Thus was born an innovative e-mail campaign that delivered big results.

Internet pioneer Esther Dyson continues to work as a venture capitalist in Eastern Europe and also sits on the board of Yandex, a Russian-language search engine described as the “Google of Russia” even though it started first, in the late 1980s. A few lessons from Yandex:

Reduce the odds that a conversation will bog down when people take things too personally by avoiding statements that begin with “you.” ... Learn how you can add more value at the office by conducting your own “listening tour.”... Stay current on technology by signing up for free e-newsletters. ...

A strong image can help businesses survive a weak economy. Could your web site, logo or other “brand” ambassador use polishing? Don’t let the price stop you!

At Progress Energy’s quarterly “compliments and concerns” meeting, senior administrative assistant Amy Finelli uses a template for minute taking. As a result, she can quickly send out notes after the meeting “because I don’t have to figure out how to organize the topics,” she says. Here are a few more of Finelli’s power tools for meetings:

When HR director Kris Dunn is in recruiting mode and gets your phone’s answering machine, he uses the occasion to judge you as a leader. “Good energy and kind of dynamic-sounding in your voice mail greeting? Cool. I’m more interested,” he says.

With studies showing 701% ROI for online press releases, this tactic belongs in your marketing plan. Online distribution sites like PRWire and PRWeb offer per-release pricing as low as $80 ...

You need online passwords for everything. How “tricky” do they need to be in order to be safe? Follow these tips from Microsoft:

“All first drafts are terrible. I don’t care if you’re Hemingway.” That comes from a writing professor who may as well have been talking about email. No email should be sent without revision. Here's an email etiquette checklist to follow:

Standing out from dozens of other e-mails means having a strong subject line. You can have a longer subject, but make sure you hit the “beef” (buzzword, attention grabber, etc.) within the first 25 characters. Think about that viewing window, too ...

Social media, such as blogs, Facebook and Twitter, are leading to confusion over what’s appropriate: Should your boss be your Facebook friend? Can you “tweet” about work? What would your firm’s VP say about your mentioning him in your blog? Some tips from etiquette expert and labor lawyer Joseph Clees:

If you need more hyperlinks pointing to your site, try this: Google 20 keywords clients use to find you. Send an e-mail to contacts at those sites explaining the synergies between your services and ask to trade links.

The 10th annual Trust Barometer study conducted by the Edelman PR firm shows that trust in businesses has plummeted. Factor that into your marketing! Besides showcasing “trust” factors like years in business and client testimonials, be more transparent in showing clients your business practices.

I have always contended that social networking is not a cost-effective use of the solopreneur’s time. Now data from a new survey by Michael Stelzner confirm it.

Remember the Yellow Pages slogan “Let your fingers do the walking"? Well, forget walking! Instead, check out these web sites that let your fingers do the digging, prospecting and streamlining to help your business grow.