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Just a week after rumours claimed Facebook is working on a professional version of its social network, reports now suggest we could see it as soon as January.

Sources told the Wall Street Journal the tech giant is developing a site that will let users chat with colleagues, as well as collaborate on documents.

Dubbed Facebook at Work, it would directly compete with LinkedIn and is expected to be released without adverts.

Sources told the Wall Street Journal the California-based tech giant is developing a site designed to let users chat with colleagues and it may begin rolling out 'in early January.' Facebook staff are said to have been testing a beta version of the site, and a select number of users will be given access to it after the holidays

Facebook staff are said to have been testing a beta version of the ad-free Facebook at Work, and a select number of users will be given access to the site after the holidays. 

A study last year found that more than 54 per cent of offices currently block Facebook on work computers to stop it distracting users. 

'Facebook is secretly working on a new website called "Facebook at Work"', claimed reports in the Financial Times last week. 

'[It] would allow users to "chat with colleagues, connect with professional contacts and collaborate over documents.'

The site is said to look similar to Facebook, including its blue and white design, news feed and group pages.

Last month, Facebook reported its quarterly profit nearly doubled to £511 million ($802 million), but saw its stock hit hard after outlining a plan to invest heavily in the future instead of using its short-term riches.

'We are going to continue preparing for the future by investing aggressively, connecting everyone, understanding the world, and building the next-generation in computing platforms,' said boss Mark Zuckerberg at the time.

'We have a long journey ahead.' 

The 10-year-old site currently has 1.35 billion monthly active users worldwide, while LinkedIn has more than 332 million members in over 200 countries and territories.

According to the professional site, users sign up to join LinkedIn at a rate of more than two new members per second.

The site lets professionals 'connect' with each other to form networks. It also has its own messaging service and news feed. 

Facebook has been looking to expand its services, and recently unveiled an app called Room that lets people chat anonymously in virtual 'rooms,' evoking the chat services from the early days of the web.

It is also testing a feature that lets users of the leading social network make purchases by simply pressing an on-screen 'Buy' button.

Facebook at Work would also allow users to collaborate on documents with colleagues, using features seen on Google Drive and Microsoft's OneDrive. Last week, Facebook revamped its privacy policy to make it easier to understand, after years of criticism. This would be key to keeping confidential business dealings secure

Facebook completed its multibillion-dollar deal for mobile messaging application WhatsApp last month.

And last week, it revamped is privacy policy to make it easier to understand, after years of criticism. It has also introduced tools to help people manage what they share on the site. 

This would be key for a professional version of the site, to keeping confidential business dealings secure.  

The site's security was heightened at the end of last year when it rolled out default encryption. 

Facebook at Work would be reserved for work-related posts only, while personal profiles would remain separate.