The Rise in Social Decision-Making in Global Human Resources

How well does your organization utilize social media for making important decisions? Doesn’t it make sense that as an HR professional or business owner that you should have a way of tapping into social media to better connect with your workforce?

Human resources has always been concerned with the expert management of human capital from every angle. Therefore, social media can be your best resource as you manage your own people. According to a 2012 survey conducted by ESG Research called Social Adoption Enterprise Trends, the increased use of social media in the workplace is leading to some businesses making important decisions based on socially shared data. Additionally, the use of social tools has increased communication and collaboration in the work environment for many businesses that would not consider this a viable resource in years past.

The findings of this survey indicated that:

• 55 percent experienced more efficient internal processes.
• 53 percent were able to make important decisions faster.
• 53 percent used social media to connect more people.
• 45 percent experienced higher productivity levels.
• 36 percent  provided an improved customer service.

Why is going social helpful in human resources? The 3 Points

In terms of managing all the tasks of a busy human resources department, social media can be a major boost to productivity. By looking at social media from three unique vantage points, that are connected in a unique way, you can begin to understand its role as an employee engagement tool. Let’s review these points for clarity.

1. Social Networks – This is the internal and external social interaction that takes place in a company. From instant messaging and intranet forums to online social tools, employees will get their information from a variety of sources. Make sure you are distributing information there too.
2. Talent Management – Recruiting and developing employees is a major component of a company using social networks for talent management. By creating branded career resources on popular social networks, you can create a sense of community.
3. Analytics – Use data to determine the strength of your social media campaigns, and then focus on areas that work the best for your unique employee population. Consider how industry trends affect social media use.

All of these elements tie into one central benefit for going social: a smarter workforce. With a workforce that is made up of more informed, in-touch employees, you can grow the business in a meaningful way. You’ll also be more in touch with the issues and concerns your employees have as an HR professional.

Managing social media in HR

Towers Watson, a respected research company, offers this advice on how to use social media in the work place effectively. This comes down to employee engagement activities and management of communications using this powerful medium.

Before getting involved in using social media at your organization, take the time to develop a plan for how you will use it and a policy for internal management. Start a social media committee to draw from the experience and strength of your personnel.