Comments on: Is Social Media a Good Idea for Internal Communications? 5 Reasons Why Companies Should Consider It.

By: Jennifer Bull

Jennifer Bull — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:28:03 +0000

Deborah,

I’d love to see your article when you’re done with it. It’s always interesting to see things from another perspective.

By: Deborah Channing

Deborah Channing — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:48:11 +0000

Wonderful post – I was thinking about a similar article which I will probably still take a shot at, but from a slightly different angle. Thanks for sharing this with your readers…Obviously a lot of others appreciate it too!

By: Karl

Karl — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:11:05 +0000

The same happens with email regarding the law.

By: MediaGeek

MediaGeek — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:54:01 +0000

I agree with AJ Teachout, moderation on internal forums is a bad thing and will stifle any real discussion, making people reluctant to post. If people are aware that their comments are attributed to them they (i.e. no anonymous posting)will self police.

I’m grappling with issues around information governance for internal social content in my latest blog post so I’d be interested in your thoughts on that

Thanks for the post! Beth

By: Margaret Harrist

Margaret Harrist — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:27:31 +0000

Social media is a great tool for internal communications, but in many companies it cannot replace print. In manufacturing companies and hospitals, for example, many employees don’t have access to online communication (even mobile).

I’ve seen social media effectively used for internal communications at my current company, thanks to executives who are good communicators and who understand the importance. I’ve also lobbied for an internal blog at another company and found that if one was created, the internal comm team would be writing it. Which, of course, completely misses the point.

Good, honest communication is what employees want. The vehicle is secondary.

By: Sean R. Nicholson

Sean R. Nicholson — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:37:17 +0000

Thanks for the great thoughts, Jennifer! My biggest concern isn’t with execs who are worried about inappropriate comments, though. I’m more concerned with those that either just don’t understand it or get it, but don’t see the value. I have heard way too many comments from execs that social media is just about people talking about what they had for breakfast. In some cases, they’re more interested in talking about how to block employee access to social media sites than they are in leveraging its power.

It’ll be interesting to see whether the social media creates a new “digital divide” between companies that use it and those that don’t….

–Sean
@seanrnicholson

By: AJ Teachout

AJ Teachout — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:13:30 +0000

Great post, although there are certain reasons to have a moderator, I think that it ultimately prohibits open communication. Employees will be careful with what they say, knowing that they are being held accountable. With proper IT integration and buy in, there is no real anonymous commenting.

Amy had a great point that it gives them an outlet to speak up and potentially stops, or at least makes employees think twice about, airing their dirty laundry on external – non monitored and non-accountable forums.

By: Is Social Media Good for Internal Communications? 5 More Reasons Why Companies Should Consider It. « Good Company – Social Media, Internal Communications and Leadership Best Practices

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:21:51 +0000

[...] few months ago, I posted five reasons to consider using social media for engaging employees. Here are an additional five reasons to consider leveraging this tool for internal [...]

By: Sean Williams

Sean Williams — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:48:03 +0000

Interesting, Jennifer. Two comments.
1. be careful with extrapolating the results of the research you cited. The methodology wasn’t transparent, and the findings could be coincidence.
2. There are risks to allowing unfettered electronic communication. Depending on the industry, the social media posts could be classed as discoverable — if, for example, there is discussion about a product that later is the target of a lawsuit, the conversation can be subpoenaed. The openness and transparency that seemed great can be a detriment to the company.

We need more research (unbiased) into the longer term effects of social media on productivity, and on business outcomes before I’ll declare victory!

Thanks for the post!
Sean
@commammo

By: Debt Settlement Program

Debt Settlement Program — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:42:53 +0000

Great headline. If your cookie has a bite-sized action and your reader completes the action, I think two things happen. Their self-confidence goes up (which feels good) and their trust in you increases.