Using social media tools internally serves two purposes. First, internal usage provides a test and practice environment before tools are used with customers. Do employees understand technically how to use the tools and practically the implications? Broad usage of the tools helps to integrate them into the day-to-day planning and activities across the organization.
Secondly, the effective use of social media internally promotes EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT and fosters both CREATIVITY and PRODUCTIVITY. Nigel Disau, SVP and CMO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), a semiconductor company, has said about their internal social media platform that:
“It’s fun to watch how this tool is helping the worldwide team start to connect in new ways, create new groups and otherwise extend our Fusion strategy.”
But success is not a one-platform issue. Social media is multi-faceted. It needs to bring employees together in many ways. A 2010 employee engagement study by IABC and Buck Consultants shows that 67% of the participants currently use or plan to use blogs to communicate with employees. Facebook, Instant Messaging, Twitter, RSS Feeds, YouTube, Discussion Boards, and Internal Social Networks are not far behind with about 60% of participants either using these tools or planning to do so. Although the study didn’t report on companies using multiple tools, my conversations with organizations suggest that those most successful in creating a social culture use many, varied social media tools. (Check out the IABC report at http://www.iabc.com/researchfoundation/pdf/IABCEmployeeEngagementReport2010Final.pdf)
We will look at some specific examples of companies using multiple tools in upcoming posts.
How many social media tools do you use internally?
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