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
Develo
p Pro
ducts
Man
age
Knowled
ge
Enhan
ce C
ultur
e
Foste
r Coll
abor
ation
Traini
ng
Recru
it Tale
nt0
10
20
30
40
50
60
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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