Rewards outweigh risks of social media

Social media has received a lot of attention because of its ability to connect people. But it also has the potential to enhance employee engagement, so employers should seriously consider it as part of an internal communications strategy.

Embracing social media requires a shift in perspective, from the “old” way of communicating to the “new” way. (See below “Out with the old.”) Organizations should be more concerned about being left behind than losing control. Although there is some risk in giving up message control as employees freely express their opinions, the rewards clearly outweigh the risks.

A ‘game changer’ for internal communications

Some organizations have held back on social media based on a belief it is used mainly by youth. While young adults may be more voracious users, adults of all ages are using social media on a regular basis, according to a 2009 study by Forrester Research that analyzed 4,766 responses to an online survey in the United States. (See sidebar “Who is online.”)

There is no doubt social media is mainstream: Facebook, for example, has more than 300 million active users and one-half of them log on everyday. People over the age of 35 are the site’s fastest growing demographic.

Social networks and blogs are the fourth most popular online activity, according to Neilsen, and are visited by more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of the global online population. Online social media is ahead of personal email and, while it’s trailing search portals and PC software sites, it’s growing twice as fast as any of those sectors.

Recently, National Public Relations tried to better understand the challenges facing internal communicators in this economy. The firm’s study Start the Dialogue: Employee Engagement in Tough Times finds social media is a game changer for employee engagement because it can dramatically redefine and re-energize internal communications.

For the study, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with HR and communication professionals at 30 private and public sector organizations across Canada. Personalization of communications is mentioned most often as a major challenge to internal communications. Respondents are challenged by ensuring they have the right tools to reach diverse audiences, from younger, “born digital” employees in generation Y to geographically dispersed employees. Many respondents are experimenting with podcasts, instant messaging, internal blogs, portals, webcasts, online videos and message boards.

Benefits of social media for internal communications

There are a number of ways social media can enhance employee engagement.

Involve employees in the customer experience: As the face of an organization’s brand, employees deliver the customer experience. Best Buy’s Twelpforce of 1,200 employees uses Twitter to respond to queries in real time. Cognizant of the risks of having such a large group represent the company, Best Buy developed binding regulations participants must formally accept when they register online.

Promote executive visibility: Social media can provide unprecedented access to a senior team, inspiring trust and credibility. However, 56 per cent of top executives don’t use social media as an employee engagement tool, found a survey of 1,477 respondents by the International Association of Business Communicators. Leaders need to move beyond the comfort zone of traditional, top-down communications and embrace continuous, open dialogue.

Enhance value to the business: Measuring the value of internal communications is vital. Fewer than one-half (44 per cent) of respondents have appropriate metrics in place, according to National Public Relations’ research. Social media has the potential to change how and when employers measure employee sentiment and engagement.

Support recruitment: Not only can social media improve retention, it can also enable more creative recruitment programs at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Deloitte Consulting asked employees to make a three-minute film answering the question “What’s your Deloitte?” The results: 372 films were submitted and the most popular one has been viewed more than 25,000 times on YouTube. (Watch the film online at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=id0uHBuhXtY.)

Getting started with social media

Here are some questions to ask to get the dialogue started about social media:

Understand the audience: How are employees sharing information between departments? Can social media improve productivity or stimulate innovation?

Review surveys/metrics: Do employee engagement surveys show a correlation between engagement and communications?

Align internal and external messages: If creating an external campaign, how is the organization engaging employees as ambassadors for the brand?

Examine CEO visibility: How well is the CEO connecting with employees? Do employees need more access to remote colleagues, managers and leaders?

Provide training: Training is critical. Find technology-savvy employees who can help others learn and provide them with the tools and resources to get started.

There is no doubt social media is becoming mainstream. Whether considering wikis, discussion forums, podcasts or blogs, an organization must understand the needs and preferences of its primary audience — employees — and connect them to business goals. While there are risks, organizations will find ways to manage these and take advantage of social media’s potential to stimulate open, two-way dialogue and build healthy, competitive businesses.

Carolyn Ray is vice-president of employee engagement at National Public Relations in Toronto. She can be reached at (416) 848-1423, [email protected] or twitter.com/dialoguedivaray.