Think you know the definition of "social media"? Think again.
Today’s session was informative for me – an external marketer who spends eons of time learning and executing social media initiatives to external audiences. Today we focused on a different angle – how social media is being used internally by corporations.
For strengthening internal corporate communities and creating ways to improve workplace information access, flow and connectivity. Moving well beyond a traditional intranet, the panelists talked to bringing social media tools behind corporate firewalls and making them work for the company, not against it.
Many session participants, while new to social media, are also struggling with how to implement on the corporate level. Not an easy task. Then add in the concerns about security and IT regulations, it becomes a much more complicated endeavor.
The panelists, experienced with technology and the issues around corporate real estate, helped break it down. Defining tools, providing examples, talking to real life successes such as:
- Cisco’s success with online recruiting
- Hearst’s engaging internal foursquare-type application for an onsite restaurant
- UK Government adoption of social media in advance of corporate entities
- Altered reality capabilities via video feed from Ian Campbell
- British Telecon’s Data2Share pilot providing ease of access to training materials for field representatives.
All emphasized the massive capabilities, unlimited options available and the affordability vs. traditional IT customized systems. No matter the size of your organization, the scope of your social media initiative or the experience of your participants, panelists encouraged a 4-pronged approach to success:
- Vision & Strategy: know what you want and agree to what success looks like
- Integrated Tools: plan and provide for a variety of platforms and tools needed
- Policies & Procedures: Set these upfront and know the scope of access and sharing.
- Support for practice, technology & connectivity. This is just so critical to make sure that those we provide tools to are empowered to use them!
Although one participant felt Corporate Real Estate might be a latecomer to social media it was easy to see the true business value in enabling and improving worker productivity when social media is employed. Lots to think about.