You know that things have changed when your boss superpokes you on facebook. This is the moment when you pump your fist into the air and scream “technology-you’ve done it again!” In today’s world, it’s difficult to ignore social networks. Everywhere you go, people are talking about phenomenons such as Facebook, Myspace and Linkedin; and the workplace is no exception. Some employers are cracking down on these sites being used at work, seeing them as a distraction or an annoyance. Others are embracing them.
A recent survey by AT&T 2,500 studied people across five countries in
But Facebook and Myspace aren’t exactly the only social networks being sought out to increase productivity in the workplace. Here are a few of what employers are using:
- Companies’ own collaboration sites on intranets (39%)
- Internal forums within the company (20%)
- Company-produced video material shared on intranets (16%)
- Online social networks, such as LinkedIn and Facebook (15%)
- External collaboration sites on the web and internal blogging sites (both 11%)
So it seems to me that employers are using internal networks to spark creativity and to bring the company together as a team. For instance, LinkedIn, (which I recently joined) helps you network with people in your company, as well as employees in other companies. You can create a profile that highlights what your company does, what your position is, and even what your interests are. Social networks like these are bringing fresh new takes on the workplace, and
I say it’s about time.
