Which strategies are most effective?
Sanders: There isn’t a one-size-fits-all
best solution. Instead, organizations
need to develop social networking strategies that support current business objectives and provide solutions to business
issues.
For example, if there’s an important
business need to foster knowledge sharing, a portal with collaboration and document sharing capabilities may be the
best way to use social media. Or, if there
is a desire to open lines of communication between executives and their work
force, blogs and discussion forums are
great ways to create two-way conversations. Organizations that use the bandwagon approach in an effort to appear
state of the art generally don’t see great
results.
Addington: I agree; it’s essential that
social networking tools support specific
business goals. Successful strategies also
take culture and user readiness into consideration and have a change management plan in place to help ensure adoption, including communications, pilot
programs and training.
How can employers implement strategies
cost effectively?
Sanders: Developing social media
doesn’t usually demand a significant capital investment. Many organizations
leverage existing technology platforms,
such as SharePoint. Also, you don’t have
to do everything at once. Our advice is,
‘Think big, start small, scale up’ — implement in phases based on top business
priorities.
Addington: Starting small can mean
piloting social networks or collaboration
sites within a single community before
committing to a companywide rollout.
The pilot will determine the most effective ways to engage participants and
identify the most beneficial information
to foster change. Or, start with a wiki of
company acronyms or an online employee directory, where employees can add
their bios and search on co-workers’
backgrounds. These tactics cost relatively little, but measure the interactive
readiness of the employee population
before executives commit to a larger
investment.
How can executives overcome the fear that
social networking will distract employees
and lead to negative conversations?
Addington: There are several steps
you can take to minimize negative
results. Establishing a clear set of communication guidelines will remind
employees that any business-related
communication is expected to be professional and respectful. Reserve the right
to remove comments and content that
are deemed offensive. Reward online
activity that fosters knowledge sharing
and collaboration.
Sanders: From what we have seen
with organizations effectively using
social media, the benefits of social networks far outweigh the potential negatives. Employees are having conversations offline and online regardless of
whether or not the organization provides
the channel. With social networks, executives can listen to — and be a part of —
that conversation.
SUSAN SANDERS is a senior consultant for intranet portals and collaboration at Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Reach her at (415)733-4255 or [email protected].
KRIS ADDINGTON is a senior communications consultant for Watson Wyatt Worldwide.
Reach her at (415) 733-4141 or [email protected].
