Using Social Media to Connect a Workforce
Whether your workforce is in one building in one location or scattered across several locations you can use social media as the glue that holds them together. Team players don’t like to let team members down meaning you can facilitate a cohesive workforce determined to reach goals and life the bottom line.
Yammer
Yammer is like Twitter which answers the question, “What are you doing”? But instead of sending that information out across cyberspace, Yammer sends that message out across your workforce replacing the traditional office grapevine. Now your colleague in Chicago can know what their colleagues are doing in Paris, and in real-time.
http://www.yammer.com
Intranet
Using an internet is like using the bulletin board over the water cooler. It can even facilitate the conversations that used to take place around the water cooler. Especially those conversations that would be impossible to have if one team members is hanging out around the cooler in San Francisco and another in Boston. Create a company blog on an intranet system and encourage employees to talk about themselves: weekend activities, favorite charities, movies, TV shows, theater, sports. The list can go on and on. The point is to feel connected to your team mates, even if it is just in spirit. You may be surprised by the ensuing conversation, shared tips and experiences.
Teampseak
Monthly meetings may be hard to have face-to-face when people are in different geographical locations. Fortunately there is software that can facilitate small and large group conversations using the Internet. Once such tool is Teamspeak. Put it on your server and let the conversation begin!
http://www.teamspeak.com
Ning
Don’t want to invest in an Intranet? There are a variety of platforms out there that you can customize to build your companies own social network for employees. Nin provides chat, blogging, forums, photo and video sharing and the ability to create groups. You can use whatever URL you want to most importantly only open up your social network to your colleagues. http://www.ning.com
Whether you work on different floors, in different offices or have a virtual workforce, social media lets you keep everyone connected.
Adrianne George is a social media specialists who launched JobsinStockholm.com in November 2006. She helps clients reach niche markets.
Author Website: AGCommunications Group
Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Boston Technical Recruiter.
