Against a background of the communication challenges address in this Feb 7, 2014 post, social media has numerous benefits that enable it to address a wide scope of internal communications needs.
Below is a sampling of three key benefits from social tools:
- 1) Real-Time Communication: People in different time zones can update relevant business information at different times in the day – as it happens – via centralized platforms such as an internal company blog post. Globally dispersed team members can address the same business issue without having to schedule unnecessary meetings at odd hours.
- 2) Faster Dialogue: When properly managed social tools such as internal discussion boards enable communication to occur more quickly – without the communications department “gatekeepers” slowing down the communications flow. When such discussions boards are available to all employees it also reduces the need for communications staff to answer the same question multiple times.
- 3) Organic and Engaging: Internal messaging platforms (similar to Whatsapp or WeChat) enable organic and engaging employee to employee conversations that enhances daily productivity by eliminate unnecessary meetings and e-mail exchanges. This is a platform that gen Y employees are especially accustomed to using in their personal lives and are eager to adopt in a work environment.