The overwhelming majority of corporate communicators think that social networking tools, like Facebook, have a part to play in internal communications. This was the verdict of a survey into social networking conducted by CiB in its free monthly ezine.
More than two thirds (70%) of those questioned said they thought social networking could work for them, although they felt that any such tools had to be tailored to suit their particular needs.
As one respondent said: “We already use social networking tools - phone, e-mail, text - so the principle is established. It is more a question of what business communication need would the new tools fill? A company might find productivity was boosted by happier staff that know more about each other. Equally, there may be employees out there with great ideas who don’t have the means to communicate with the right people
“The balance to be struck is encouraging worthwhile communications that provide a return on investment for the business, without squandering your IT budget on every techno-trend and baffling employees about which channel they are supposed to use.”
Another said: “Business is all about networking and communicating with colleagues and peers. Any tool that makes this easier, if used wisely, can only be beneficial.”
The environmental benefits of social networking tools were also mentioned by many respondents. “There are substantial benefits to be gained using this approach for multi-national and global corporations who need to engage employees as well as create a community of cross-sharing without the associated costs that come with telephone bills and travel expenses,” said one respondent.
Some felt that social networking would certainly appeal to younger members of staff as those entering the workplace have grown up as an internet generation.
But others were more cautious and worried that social networking could be seen as a time waster.
One respondent said: “It is very easy to make the argument that tools will encourage time wasting. Employers often take the opinion that their employees look for ways to not do work, and social networking sites are another distraction. However, if a company wants to develop 'adult to adult' relationships with employees, there needs to be a level of trust.
“From a people engagement perspective, social networking sites could be used to create a greater sense of community, particularly in larger organisations.
“They can also be used as a replacement to ‘blogs'. Senior managers might find them a useful way to present a personal side of themselves. Undoubtedly, they will be used for social purposes too. The real difficulties lie in 'patrolling' content. Social networking sites have the potential to be a breeding ground for misinformation, leaking of confidential material, and negative comments. And yet, censoring them will be laborious.”
A minority felt that social networking had no place in corporate communications. “I think that stuff like Facebook is just waste of time,” said one. “Personal things should be kept out of work!” said another.
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