The workplace is evolving to embrace social media. A recent study of U.S. based employers by Gagen MacDonald has revealed that companies are leveraging internal social media (ISM) to communicate and drive business.
Employees reported:
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58 percent would prefer to work at a company that uses ISM
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86 percent would refer others for employment
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61 percent feel it is easier to collaborate
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60 percent are likely to feel their company is innovative
Building and sustaining a collaborative, connected environment, requires behavioral changes, as well as technology updates. It’s a paradigm shift from a “command and control” to an “open and transparent” environment. It’s a culture where employees are incentivized for sharing information as well as individual contributions. Information is shared horizontally instead of vertically and the wisdom of the organization resolves issues and produces solutions.
Companies realize that they need to provide tools that support internal collaboration and connect people across functions. Interdepartmental engagement on ideas and projects leverages the power of the company and produces financial growth.
Sound simple? NOT! Here are a few mistakes to avoid:
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Lack of Executive Sponsorship. At The Hartford, we had a ground swell of support of social media, but struggled to hit the “tipping point.” In response, we launched a reverse mentor program. In pairing our tech savvy, younger career professionals with senior executives, we were able to cross-pollinate skills. Using internal social media and emerging technologies, combined with seasoned business experience, The Hartford gained a much needed boost in brand development. We piloted the program with our senior executive leadership team (CEO, CFO, Chief Risk Officer, etc.) and were able to quickly establish the value of these tools AND garnered multiple executive champions.
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Absence of Change Management. The biggest impediment to adopting social media is systemic resistance to sharing information and change. Implementing the technology without thinking through the shift in culture will result in frustration and numerous false starts. It’s imperative to create the awareness and desire to change and then promote/reinforce it through multiple channels.
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Gaps in policies. Review your electronic communications, social media and other related policies to ensure that the rules and guidelines on the use of internal and external social media are clearly defined. Our guiding principles: Be professional, use common sense, and be respectful of others. (Check out this series on social media workplace policies)
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Lack of business objectives. Define business objectives and engage highly connected groups that can socialize your platform and deliver quick, visible wins.
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Directing vs. listening. Collaboration is fluid, and you need to seek continuous feedback and be actively LISTENING! After launching weConnect, The Hartford’s professional and social network, many of the ideas came from our users. We incorporated their ideas, and invited them to join our team. Employee collaboration tools drive engagement and inspire your workforce.
The shift to social business includes technology and a paradigm shift in the way you share information and connect as an organization. You’ll need to prepare for the long haul. These concepts and tools are “sexy” but will require significant effort to build engagement and maintain momentum.
Bottom line: I encourage you to be
BOLD when it comes to implementing an employee collaboration tool. The result? People, your workforce, customers, and colleagues will be inspired by you… and you will be inspired by their creativity and results.
This post was originally published on Blogging4jobs.com. The author, Lisa Bonner, is the Assistant Vice President of Contemporary Work Practices at The Hartford. Connect with her on LinkedIn. The opinions expressed are personal and not related to The Hartford.