Tess Taylor 
In the last few years, the use of social media sites and the number of members have exploded. Most recent figures say that 1.2 billion users around the world are actively engaged in social networks with Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, MySpace, Pinterest, and LinkedIn leading the way. (Source: comScore) Users typically spend up to 6.5 hours a day on social media sites. (Source: Zdnet)
Despite these amazing numbers, many HR professionals are reluctant to take advantage of this valuable communication tool.
This is primarily for two reasons:
- Not being able to control the information shared by users.
- Not having the manpower to manage a social media campaign.
It’s natural to be concerned about corporate information security, lack of a cohesive online content plan, and not knowing how or when to use social media. However, putting these fears behind – social media is a highly effective way to share corporate information with employees and vendors.
By creating a central company social network, you can choose what information is distributed and when it goes out. You can also designate to whom the information is to be displayed, by setting up account preferences and member permissions. The user friendly format of a social media platform allows for on-demand HR content, accessible through many forms of media on the go. This makes an ideal way to reach a large number of employees at once.
Additionally, social media is a great way to engage employees in a multitude of activities. From corporate event photo sharing to live discussion feeds during training sessions, social media is a non-threatening way to get more employees connected to the organization. This is a highly adaptable form of communication that more HR managers are using to reach employees on a wide-scale level. For example, social media can be used to talk to employees about their benefits open enrollment, important policy changes, company news and even disaster recovery updates.
How and when you choose to integrate social media into your HR communication strategy is up to you to decide as an organization. Not using it is no longer an option.
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