The popularity of social networking was reiterated again recently when it was reported that last year, Americans spent 74-billion minutes – or approximately 20% of their time – on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, much of which happened during company time.
Employees that access social networking sites from work are reportedly costing employers an estimated $650-billion per year.
Instead of alienating workers by implementing draconian, micromanaging measures such as banning them from visiting those sites during office hours – which would mean installing expensive network monitoring software – many companies have decided to rather channel their employees’ addiction to social media by launching internal social networks where they can interact the same way with their colleagues about work-related matters as they do with family and friends about their personal lives.
“But adopting enterprise social networking (ESN) is more than just flipping a switch and then waiting for magical collaboration to happen between your workers,” cautions Dayle Wheeler, founder of South African-based ModernBusiness and the “ideas” ESN platform.
“As with any other business strategy, you are going to need a purpose and a plan first.”
Wheeler’s sentiment is backed up by industry analysts. IT research company Gartner recently predicted that ESN will become the primary communications channels for making decisions about and acting upon work-related information.
However, the firm also estimates that, through 2015, 80% of social business efforts “will not have achieved the intended benefits due to inadequate leadership and an overemphasis on technology”.
This is hardly a death knell for ESN, says Wheeler.
“ESN is here to stay, because companies are realising with increasing frequency that ESN is vital to effective business communication, since it allows everyone in the company to have their voices and ideas heard.”
He says Gartner’s prediction of a 20% success rate can be easily improved if employers take an organic approach to implementing ESN.
“You can’t just implement an ESN system and force your workers to use it,” Wheeler advises. “But if the platform you choose proves to be natural to use, helpful and engaging, it will foster enough collaboration to make a genuine difference to your company.”
ESN holds the potential to increase your company’s bottom line, says Wheeler.
“It allows the marketing department of any company to try out their new campaign ideas among their colleagues before spending the money to make it public.”
But ESN is also rewarding in another unique way, Wheeler points out.
“When you not only allow your employees to make their ideas known, but encourage them to speak up, share, and also ask for their feedback about others’ ideas – which can actually sway how a campaign turns out – you make it clear that their opinions matter and count in a way that is more than just lip service. Your employees are your most valuable assets.
“By giving them access to an ESN where they can express and contribute their work ideas, you are conveying the message that everyone is valued, which will be an incredible morale-booster.”
Employees that access social networking sites from work are reportedly costing employers an estimated $650-billion per year.
Instead of alienating workers by implementing draconian, micromanaging measures such as banning them from visiting those sites during office hours – which would mean installing expensive network monitoring software – many companies have decided to rather channel their employees’ addiction to social media by launching internal social networks where they can interact the same way with their colleagues about work-related matters as they do with family and friends about their personal lives.
“But adopting enterprise social networking (ESN) is more than just flipping a switch and then waiting for magical collaboration to happen between your workers,” cautions Dayle Wheeler, founder of South African-based ModernBusiness and the “ideas” ESN platform.
“As with any other business strategy, you are going to need a purpose and a plan first.”
Wheeler’s sentiment is backed up by industry analysts. IT research company Gartner recently predicted that ESN will become the primary communications channels for making decisions about and acting upon work-related information.
However, the firm also estimates that, through 2015, 80% of social business efforts “will not have achieved the intended benefits due to inadequate leadership and an overemphasis on technology”.
This is hardly a death knell for ESN, says Wheeler.
“ESN is here to stay, because companies are realising with increasing frequency that ESN is vital to effective business communication, since it allows everyone in the company to have their voices and ideas heard.”
He says Gartner’s prediction of a 20% success rate can be easily improved if employers take an organic approach to implementing ESN.
“You can’t just implement an ESN system and force your workers to use it,” Wheeler advises. “But if the platform you choose proves to be natural to use, helpful and engaging, it will foster enough collaboration to make a genuine difference to your company.”
ESN holds the potential to increase your company’s bottom line, says Wheeler.
“It allows the marketing department of any company to try out their new campaign ideas among their colleagues before spending the money to make it public.”
But ESN is also rewarding in another unique way, Wheeler points out.
“When you not only allow your employees to make their ideas known, but encourage them to speak up, share, and also ask for their feedback about others’ ideas – which can actually sway how a campaign turns out – you make it clear that their opinions matter and count in a way that is more than just lip service. Your employees are your most valuable assets.
“By giving them access to an ESN where they can express and contribute their work ideas, you are conveying the message that everyone is valued, which will be an incredible morale-booster.”
