5 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Embrace Social Media

Recently published on the HBR Blog Network (Harvard Business Review) was a post titled “Traditional Strategy is Dead. Welcome to the #SocialEra.” I wholeheartedly agree that companies cannot survive or prosper without recognizing that social media and all it encompasses allow businesses to define or redefine a brand. Social also helps companies be more innovative and flexible.

Human resources, talent management and learning and development professionals can lead the way within their organizations by introducing innovative, social media tools to recruit, retain and develop their employees.

Here are five ways to accelerate your talent management strategy immediately:

1. Use Social Media to Launch a Talent Identification Strategy. Using social media outreach will allow you target a global pool of talent. The global competition is fierce and for certain skilled positions, you have to reach beyond your own backyard.
2. Embrace Social Media and Listen to Your Employees. Employee engagement surveys don’t have to be a formal rollout event. Use social platforms to listen to your employees. Immediately take a pulse on your organization by listening to what they need and/or want from your company – you might be surprised at the informal marketing your employees are doing for you. Check out glassdoor.com if you don’t believe me.
3. Build the Employee Network Online. Build internal platforms such as a micro-blog, without spending millions, to start a conversation with your employees and allow collaboration to ensue. Allowing employees to work in partnership and pool resources online facilitates cross-functional training and learning opportunities, breaks down organizational silos, eliminates redundant work and boosts innovative and creativity.
4. Create Videos to Recruit and Educate Your Employees. Most employees and especially young professionals would rather watch a fun, visual presentation rather than read a boring, written handbook! Create professionally developed videos that present messages in a fun, visual format such as an employee talking about why someone should want to work for your company.
5. Use Social Media and Other Technological Resources for Learning and Development. Using avatars, webinars and e-simulations can create a realistic, fun learning environment without the additional travel costs associated with formal in-person training programs. You can also use social media platforms or micro-blogs to create peer advisory sessions or coaching sessions that allow employees to work through difficult problems they are facing at work or test new skills that they have just learned in a safe, non-threatening environment.

Are you working for an advanced company? How are you using social media tools to drive employee retention and development? Tell us more about your innovative tools.

Is your company living in the dark ages? Still scared to embrace social media as a recruitment or development tool? Call us to learn more about our Leadership consulting services.