Social media and employees, “you want me to do what?” That is exactly how a lot of companies feel when it comes to employees getting involved with social media. A lot of companies continue to hold the concept that allowing employees to be involved in social media especially when it comes to business is detrimental to the business. Taking a look at how employees’ affect business is important since social media isn’t something that can be stopped.
The continued rise in social media networking sites guarantees that employees will access these sites. Social media is on the rise not just for marketing but so that people can connect easier and faster than ever before. Employees know this and you can be assured that they know how to use these networks. What businesses do about social media and their employees makes all the difference in the world as to the outcomes of such connections! Blocking employees from using social networks while at work is one thing but once they leave work what do you think might happen?
Zoe Sands, Head of Digital Marketing at Juniper Networks states that “without full social media access for all employees within an organization you can’t expect to develop a social business.” Posse Social Media has talked about the importance of having a social media policy and training staff which includes instilling social media best practices and how the use of social media is governed. Without these in place what you get is some unruly employees that may feel they are being denied their rights to speak up and who will use other means to access business sites.
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are just a few of the social media networks that are out there for anyone to access and see what is happening. Employees are internet smart and the growth of social media networking sites is only going to continue. Marketing is so much more today than just the traditional methods used in the past. People are busy and want fast access to see what is happening. Without social media as a marketing tool businesses will not have the best potential for growth possible.
Connecting social media and your employees should not be thought of as a negative. Empowering employees and allowing them be a voice for the company and a brand advocate when utilizing social media sites will help the company to grow. Does this mean that there will never be negativity within the social media network sites? No! There is always the negative employee. No matter how hard you try it happens, but it does give the company and other employees an avenue to right whatever wrongs have been done. It is important to work together as a team to make social media work for everyone. Social media is not the place for grievances and this should be a part of the training.