Organizations have bought the latest and the best Enterprise Social Platforms like Chatter, Yammer, SocialCast etc. The usage remains lukewarm to put it mildly. It is not the thriving watering hole that brings everyone together. A place that replicates the heated debates and discussions of the smoke-filled cafes where intellectuals share their ideas; artists display their provocative versions of iconoclastic art and where auteurs discuss their cinematic dreams.
Challenge No 1: Reflect The Real World
The enterprise social network does not look anything like that. It starts with a bang. Every employee is pushed and prodded to create their profile. They groan. That is the first sign of trouble. The IT group creates part profiles by importing some part of the employee database just to ease user adoption. Beyond the name and department details there is precious little that can be put up on the profile.“Let us add their hobbies.” Suggests someone.“I don’t care who likes to go hiking or reads Calvin and Hobbes comics.” Says someone who vetoes the plan.“You are right! Let the employee choose what to put. That’s the safest option.”The simple act of populating employee profiles on the social network makes employers confront an unpleasant truth – they do not really know the employees beyond copious amounts of data on performance. This is like the parents only storing the child’s report card and throwing out all those sheets of drawings and misspelt letters written but never delivered.By contrast, Facebook gives more than ten options to describe one’s relationship. The options range from single, in a relationship, engaged, married, separated, widowed, divorced, in a civil union, in a an open relationship and in a domestic partnership to its very eloquent option: “Its complicated”. The lesson is very clear. Enterprise social networks need to reflect the real world.
Challenge No 2: Learn To Converse
What is the purpose of creating such a platform? The employees at the bottom of the pyramid look at it as a way of bringing in their complete self. The hobby groups are the first to take off. Then there are work related huddles. There are communities of all kinds. The group that remains silent on the enterprise network is the senior leadership.The leaders view large gatherings as great opportunities to “send messages”. Social media is a listening post and not a megaphone to make announcements which cannot be challenged. The social world is actually about listening and engaging in real time conversations. Leaders feel vulnerable at the very thought of having to converse, argue and defend their points of view.
Challenge No 3: Create Engaging Content
People have learned that creating a Facebook page with a thousand “likes” does not amount to anything. The people come back voluntarily to places that create content that is real, engaging and has diversity. The opinionated have to get a chance to hold forth while the readers must have a chance to throw bouquets and brickbats at them.The employees must feel that they can criticize any policy or leader’s views without fear of being rebuked or hunted down. The ability to tolerate dissent is the lifeblood of a thriving organization’s culture. The social network only needs to reflect that. This can be a powerful form of employee engagement.Until then enterprise social networks will remain lame endeavors.What else can create a healthy chatter on the enterprise social network? Leave your ideas in the comments.——————————-Join me on Twitter @AbhijitBhaduriPublished by HRKatha.com on 13 Apr 2015 <click here>
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