Social media is all around us. But we may think it odd to compare its capabilities to a company’s internal communication tool. Various companies are using this strategy to increase employee communication and engagement, which allows employees to be more productive and innovative, and helps grow a company’s reputation.
According to an article by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) entitled “Advocacy in Action: How Social Media Inspires Collaboration Among Employees,” challenges such as cultural and demographic differences, computer and internet access, and inappropriate content may be present in this new way of internal communication. However, industry leaders have found different ways to overcome these roadblocks. Training programs, having an employee social media advocate as well as monitoring and listening to employee feedback can better improve interpersonal communication within social media platforms.
The exciting part is how employees feel about it. The PRSA article mentioned that workers feel motivated to use this communication style because they can connect with colleagues, find their voice within a workspace, and gain important information about the company. Moreover, implementing social media as a tool for corporate communication has a potentially positive impact on the company's transparency and identification. Employees feel that having a closer relationship with the company enhances the way they identify with the company's values and culture. They can also engage with the content the company is sharing online.
It is interesting to note how companies are not only using social media to interact with brands and their audience, but to engage with their employees. People like to scroll through social media to get a closer look at what they will experience once they assume a role at a particular company. Now they can see why companies are promoting internal communication by using social media. By applying this method, a company gives its employees the ability to use something they love in the workplace.
There’s no doubt that social media has become a standard tool in our lives today. People enjoy sharing what they’re doing on their social channels, which may be one of the reasons why this strategy is becoming more popular among companies. This new wave of corporate communication, when appropriately implemented, can help increase worker productivity and make a company more transparent. As these types of apps advance, social media will continue to be a potent tool, not only to entertain us, but to assist us in the workplace.
Source:
Ewing, M. E., (2019, March 04). Advocacy in Action: How Social Media Inspires Collaboration Among Employees. Retrieved from https://apps.prsa.org/StrategiesTactics/Articles/view/12472/1167/Advocacy_in_Action_How_Social_Media_Inspires_Colla?spMailingID=27031627&spUserID=MjEwNDkzMDQ0NTE0S0&spJobID=1464501997&spReportId=MTQ2NDUwMTk5NwS2#.XO6PgIhKjmZ
