Workforce 2.0

Using Social Media to

Engage Employees*

* We define engaged employees as workers who are informed, productive, collaborative, loyal and advocates

The Context: Web 2.0 Revolution

Explosion of Online Content

Expanding Global Web Audience

Networking Platforms

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Cloud Computing

Background

As digital natives--those who have grown up with the Internet--flood the workplace, your employees will expect to be part of the social Web and they'll have a lot to contribute. Does this sound like business as usual? It shouldn't. (Joshua-Michelle Ross – A Corporate Guide for Social Media. Forbes.)

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Reports confirm interest & benefits…but also uneven adoption• Watson Wyatt report suggests social media can improve internal

communication and employee engagement…but also confirms many companies focus on potential risks and inhibit access to tools

• Avanade (global IT consulting firm) survey found more than half of the 500 top executives surveyed resist the adoption of social media out of fear it will sap worker productivity

• A survey by IABC/Buck found 4/5 of respondents use social media frequently to drive productivity & engage employees – but 56% of executives are not using social media

• MIT research shows 40% of creative teams’ productivity is directly explained by the amount of communication they have with others to discover, gather, and internalize information. Other MIT research shows employees with the most extensive digital networks are 7% more productive than their colleagues, and those with the most cohesive face-to-face networks are 30% more productive

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Does Conversation Stop at Firewall?

Totally ProhibitedBusiness Purposes OnlyLimited Personal UseAny Personal UseDon't Know

Company Policies Regarding Use of Social Networks at Work

Robert Half Technology – October 2009

54%

10%

16%

19%

Web 2.0 Technologies on the Inside

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Enhan

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Foste

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abor

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Traini

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Recru

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20

30

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50

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BlogsPodcastsNetworksMash-UpsPredictionTaggingMicroblogsRatingVideosPeer-PeerRSSWikis

McKinsey – Business & Web 2.0 (September 09)

Workforce 2.0 Premise

1. The best social media strategy is proactively integrated across programs, audiences and platforms

2. Your internal audience should not be an add-on - your employees are potentially your biggest fans & advocates…or harshest critics

3. Every company should provide a robust forum for employee conversation & collaboration

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Benefits of Integration• Web 2.0 technologies can be a powerful lure for an organization; their

interactivity promises to bring more employees into daily contact at lower cost. When used effectively, they also may encourage participation in projects and idea sharing, thus deepening a company’s pool of knowledge. They may bring greater scope and scale to organizations as well, strengthening bonds with customers and improving communications with suppliers and outside partners.

• This survey turned up strong evidence that these advantages are translating into measurable business gains. When we asked respondents about the business benefits their companies have gained as a result of using Web 2.0 technologies, they most often report greater ability to share ideas; improved access to knowledge experts; and reduced costs of communications, travel, and operations. Many respondents also say Web 2.0 tools have decreased the time to market for products and have had the effect of improving employee satisfaction.

[McKinsey Global Survey on Web 2.0 Adoption – 2009]

Defining a Workforce 2.0 Culture

A Workforce 2.0 organization shares information/content freely – allowing

employees to help create and share content – and provides employees with

platforms/tools to engage in candid conversation, work together, solve

problems and contribute to the evolution and success of the organization.

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A Workforce 2.0 Culture entails:

Transparency

Empowerment

Innovation

Trust

The Workforce 2.0 Quiz

What are your employees

doing online?Do you have clear online

policies?

Are your employees

advocates or critics?

What is the status of internal

dialogue?

What is the focus & tone of

internal conversations?

What are your internal

communities?

What is your internal social

media strategy?

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Are You Social?

How to Involve Employees

Enlist in External EffortsEstablish Internal Platforms

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Start with a focused, strategic approach

Solve a Business Problem

Meet an Employee Need

Find a Better Solution

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Organizations considering social media can increase their chances of success by focusing on specific goals:

Potential Employee Strategies

Expert outreach (off-site)Expert bloggers (company websites)Customer outreach teamSocial network friends/managersForum moderators & resources

Collaboration tools (intranet)Internal social networksCorporate blog/wikisUser-generated contentIdea generation and/or ranking

External

Internal

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Potential Benefits of Internal Social Media

Employer

•Dynamic info/news delivery channels•Source of ideas & feedback•Reduced training costs•Improved efficiency•Easier to track & influence dialogue•Facilitates knowledge management & teamwork

•Fosters cultural alignment & engagement

•Multi-media promotion platform(s)Employees

•Platform(s) for conversation•Access to leaders & experts•More accessible & searchable info• Ability to customize access/content•Forum to contribute content, ideas & comments•Supports career development•Easier collaboration & data sharing•Networking with peers•Better resources to serve customers

Delivering on Brand Promise

= More Satisfied Customers

Consumers

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= Improved Earnings ?

More choice and less noise

• Though it’s counter-intuitive…introducing social media platforms helps employees gain better access to relevant content and avoid information overload:– Customization & personal triage of content– Communities & categories to facilitate targeting– Participation in creation of content, conversation– RSS to allow targeted “pull” of data– Collaboration tools fuel efficiency

• The caveat is that organizations must coordinate – and prioritize – their communication across all channels to be effective

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Reality Check List

Due diligence Purpose Strategy Platforms Resources Team Rules Content Process Branding Marketing Metrics

Introducing a social media program requires a substantial

commitment and rigorous planning

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Setting Realistic Expectations• Social Media is not just technology – it’s a strategic and cultural

mindset… so it may take time to get traction• Forget about concept of “controlling” information or conversation –

the best you can do is contribute• It usually takes time to get attention and build an audience• There will be negative comments and a few who strain the

boundaries…but typically the community will self-regulate• Social media requires sustained commitment and dedicated resources• You will make mistakes…and learn along the way • Valuable content wins out in the end

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Potential Applications

Digital Content &

Conversations

Micro-blogBlog

WikiPrediction Market

Discussion Forum

Online JamBookmar

king

Social Networks

Virtual Environment

s

Intranet/CMS

Video Sharing

Crowd-sourcing

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INTERNAL RESEARCH

How do Companies Evaluate Success?

The Usual Suspects• Culture/Engagement Survey• Event polls (e.g. meetings)• Intranet quick polls• Focus groups• Employee panels or betas• Leverage informal feedback (blogs,

comments)• Use generic questions, topics

Where are the Gaps?• Uneven follow-up on broad surveys • Culture surveys often generic• Limited focus on business impact• Don’t always measure what matters• Qualitative research is not very

rigorous• Lack of data crunching• Hesitation to invest resources• Don’t always update employees on

findings, actions

• Internal research should help you evaluate how you did…but also figure out what to do next

• What you measure should be linked to your original objectives…not your output

My Two Cents…

Show Impact Not Just Activity

Participation

• Visitors• Reader

ship• Attend

ance

Perception

• Satisfaction

• Awareness

• Support

Behavior

• Retention

• Effort• Advoc

acy

Many companies

are here

But they should be

here

On the Horizon…• New technology introduces new options

– Online networks and channels provide ongoing feedback– Quick polls are easy & cheap– CMS & blog platforms have built in metrics

• Still need to do your homework– Is your sample representative? Relevant? – Are you using the right format (stats vs. qualitative)– Can you generate solid data from the information? – Can you find relevant trends? – Is the research actionable?

APPENDIX10 Principles of Workforce 2.0

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Firewalls can’t stop technology or progress…

Assume most of your employees are already using social media platforms and applications

The best way to reach employees is through technology they use and understand

Don’t treat your employees as second-class citizens and use all your firepower externally

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Don’t think of your employees as an insular, homogenous

audience…

Employees are also consumers, customers, fans, critics, pundits, etc.

Employees will have varied interests, expertise and opinions – distinct communities of interest exist in every company

Consider all relevant corporate languages and cultures

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• There are already employee conversations about your

company inside and outside the firewalls…

At minimum - you need to be aware of those conversations

You can influence the dialogue by participating & contributing information

Conversation is a two-way street…remember to listen

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Don’t think of your employees as a “captive” audience…

Organizations have to compete for employees’ attention within the “noise” – just like they do externally

Relevance and credibility must be earned Don’t be distracted by structure, roles and functional

silos - geography and title are secondary to communities of interest

If your company is global, communicate in relevant languages

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Like consumers, employees want to “network”: access

information, share ideas, ask questions and compare notes with peers…

Organizations should facilitate collaboration & dialogue among employees…not just with them

Peers have a big influence on the assessment and use of information

Responding to input and questions is critical

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• The community will self-regulate…

Trust your employees to do the right thing…most will The community will often strive to moderate extreme

views, drive consensus and enforce rules of conduct Don’t let rules stifle robust discussion

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Employees are a great source of ideas…

The “wisdom of crowds” exists within organizations Smart companies leverage the creativity and talent of

their workforce Employees that actively participate in shaping

company programs & products are more likely to be engaged

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• The line between internal and external is blurring…

Communication (and technology) is increasingly straddling internal and external environments

Employees see less distinction between friends, colleagues, professional contacts and customers

Think of ways to leverage this reality rather than fight it

Don’t think too much about what is work-related and isn’t (it’s difficult to tell and may not really matter)

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Social media requires a new mindset where evolution is

constant…

This is no guidebook for social media – though there are best practices and community norms

Technology continues to evolve rapidly, and often unpredictably

Social media strategy needs to be nimble, responsive - the best approach is a beta mindset

It’s a marathon…not a sprint

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Content is king (or queen)…

Providing valuable, relevant, unique and timely content is the highest priority

Setting the agenda is not a one-way proposition…employees (like customers do) will help dictate what is relevant and important

Focus on helping employees to do their work, enjoy their workplace and achieve their personal objectives

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Principles of Workforce 2.0• Your employees are your “brand ambassadors” - for better

or worse

Assess how your employees are representing your company through their customer interactions and/or comments

Help ensure employees are positive advocates and deliver on your brand promise

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