+352 2674 554 41Mo. - Fr. 8:00 - 18:00 Uhr

Social Media and Internal Communication

You are currently viewing Social Media and Internal Communication
Global Communication Digital Device Information Concept

Quick Skype conferences with your freelancers or taking part in a meeting via Facetime – social media has changed internal communication in multiple ways. The available channels and tools of social media add value to cooperation in small, digitally oriented firms as well as in international teams. They enable teams, at relatively cheap costs, to work together effectively even when physically separated. In large corporations intranets, wikis, virtual meeting rooms for videoconferences and microblogging tools can support internal communication.

Research Results regarding Internal Communication & Social Media

The study “Inbetween Involvement and Dialogue: Internal Communication via Social Media” [original title: “Zwischen Beteiligung und Dialog: Social Media in der internen Kommunikation”]1, published 2014, includes a survey of the 500 largest companies in Germany (in terms of profits). 50% of all respondents said they use social media platforms for internal communication, 61% were satisfied with the use of social media. They pointed out the following positive developments:

  • Knowledge exchange was enhanced (66%)
  • Communication is more open and honest (61%)
  • Project and team communication has improved (52%).

37% of all participants complained however that social media platforms exclude some co-workers, who are not active on social media. This problem can be enhanced in firms with a diverse workforce: employees in offices have more access to computers and internet than production line employees.
39% of all survey respondents pointed out to be dissatisfied with the use of social media. Reasons included differing acceptance among employees as well as restrictions from management.

Identification and Overcoming of Obstacles

Employees might be reluctant to accept social media for communication for different reasons. Was the strategy communicated clearly? All participants need to be aware that only if all partake communication will be optimised and benefits generated for the firm. For example, only if all employees engage in the company’s Wiki, knowledge exchange will be enhanced. Are all employees able to participate skills-wise? No matter how engaged an employee is, if the technical know-how is missing, he will not be able to contribute. A first step to create acceptance among the workforce, is to offer training and manuals.

The second obstacle mentioned by participants in the survey is restrictions by the management. It has to be inherent to the strategy that all employees are to openly participate. It makes no sense, for managers to wish for Skype conferences but to not activate every employee’s account. Lastly, there is always the worry that employees may misuse the social media channels for private communication. Thus, implementation of social media at the workplace works only in an environment of trust.

Identification of Benefits

Small businesses should find out which channels and tools are helpful in different situations. Do we need a Wiki, because we need to distribute knowledge more efficiently? We need to communicate and exchange data quicker within out project teams – would a Chatsystem or perhaps a secret Facebook group do the job?

At CURE, we actively use Skype to communicate with our freelancers, who work from all over the world. It has proven to be a cheap and easy instrument for our internal communication, especially as it is easily accessible for everyone.

The website t3n.de has constructed an overview  of widely used tools for team communication (in German).

Enjoy testing new tools for communication! (SOS)

Reference:

1Spachmann, Huck-Sandhu: Zwischen Beteiligung und Dialog – Social Media in der internen Kommunikation (2014), Retrieved from on the 15.03.2016: www.ik-trends.de/top-500/2014-social-media

Leave a Reply

3 × 3 =