This document discusses using social media to engage employees. It notes that as digital natives enter the workforce, employees will expect to use social tools at work. While some research shows social media can improve engagement, many companies remain cautious due to fears over productivity and risks. The document advocates developing a "Workforce 2.0" culture that freely shares information using social platforms to boost collaboration, problem-solving and employee contributions. It provides strategies for integrating social tools internally and realizing benefits like improved idea-sharing, knowledge access and employee satisfaction. Success requires a strategic, sustained approach to socialize appropriately and demonstrate business impacts.
Ten Organizational Design Models to align structure and operations to busines...
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Engage Employees with Social Media
1. Workforce 2.0 Using Social Media to Engage Employees* * We define engaged employees as workers who are informed, productive, collaborative, loyal and advocates
2. The Context: Web 2.0 Revolution Networking Platforms 2 Cloud Computing
3. Background As digital natives--those who have grown up with the Internet--flood the workplace, your employees will expect to be part of the social Web and they'll have a lot to contribute. Does this sound like business as usual? It shouldn't. (Joshua-Michelle Ross – A Corporate Guide for Social Media. Forbes.) 3
4. Reports confirm interest & benefits…but also uneven adoption Watson Wyatt report suggests social media can improve internal communication and employee engagement…but also confirms many companies focus on potential risks and inhibit access to tools Avanade (global IT consulting firm) survey found more than half of the 500 top executives surveyed resist the adoption of social media out of fear it will sap worker productivity A survey by IABC/Buck found 4/5 of respondents use social media frequently to drive productivity & engage employees – but 56% of executives are not using social media MIT research shows 40% of creative teams’ productivity is directly explained by the amount of communication they have with others to discover, gather, and internalize information. Other MIT research shows employees with the most extensive digital networks are 7% more productive than their colleagues, and those with the most cohesive face-to-face networks are 30% more productive 4
6. Web 2.0 Technologies on the Inside McKinsey – Business & Web 2.0 (September 09)
7. Workforce 2.0 Premise The best social media strategy is proactively integrated across programs, audiences and platforms Your internal audience should not be an add-on - your employees are potentially your biggest fans & advocates…or harshest critics Every company should provide a robust forum for employee conversation & collaboration 7
8. Benefits of Integration Web 2.0 technologies can be a powerful lure for an organization; their interactivity promises to bring more employees into daily contact at lower cost. When used effectively, they also may encourage participation in projects and idea sharing, thus deepening a company’s pool of knowledge. They may bring greater scope and scale to organizations as well, strengthening bonds with customers and improving communications with suppliers and outside partners. This survey turned up strong evidence that these advantages are translating into measurable business gains. When we asked respondents about the business benefits their companies have gained as a result of using Web 2.0 technologies, they most often report greater ability to share ideas; improved access to knowledge experts; and reduced costs of communications, travel, and operations. Many respondents also say Web 2.0 tools have decreased the time to market for products and have had the effect of improving employee satisfaction. [McKinsey Global Survey on Web 2.0 Adoption – 2009]
9. Defining a Workforce 2.0 Culture A Workforce 2.0 organization shares information/content freely – allowing employees to help create and share content – and provides employees with platforms/tools to engage in candid conversation, work together, solve problems and contribute to the evolution and success of the organization. 9 A Workforce 2.0 Culture entails:
12. Start with a focused, strategic approach 12 Organizations considering social media can increase their chances of success by focusing on specific goals:
14. Potential Benefits of Internal Social Media Consumers Delivering on Brand Promise = More Satisfied Customers 14 = Improved Earnings ?
15. More choice and less noise Though it’s counter-intuitive…introducing social media platforms helps employees gain better access to relevant content and avoid information overload: Customization & personal triage of content Communities & categories to facilitate targeting Participation in creation of content, conversation RSS to allow targeted “pull” of data Collaboration tools fuel efficiency The caveat is that organizations must coordinate – and prioritize – their communication across all channels to be effective 15
27. MetricsIntroducing a social media program requires a substantial commitment and rigorous planning 16
28. Setting Realistic Expectations Social Media is not just technology – it’s a strategic and cultural mindset… so it may take time to get traction Forget about concept of “controlling” information or conversation – the best you can do is contribute It usually takes time to get attention and build an audience There will be negative comments and a few who strain the boundaries…but typically the community will self-regulate Social media requires sustained commitment and dedicated resources You will make mistakes…and learn along the way Valuable content wins out in the end 17
33. On the Horizon… New technology introduces new options Online networks and channels provide ongoing feedback Quick polls are easy & cheap CMS & blog platforms have built in metrics Still need to do your homework Is your sample representative? Relevant? Are you using the right format (stats vs. qualitative) Can you generate solid data from the information? Can you find relevant trends? Is the research actionable?