Of all of the trends and fads in human resources for talent management – social media is one not worth resisting.
A recent infographic explains why HR must end their reluctance to join the digital age and embrace social media. As a Gen Y’er myself, a life without social media seems absolutely unfathomable. Social networks initially created for close friends and similar circles have expanded so drastically. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn have been key tools in my job search and professional networking. With Twitter and Facebook, I can see how the company interacts with their audience and, more importantly, what others are saying about potential employers. Determining a company’s culture has been made easy by the correct utilization of social media.
The fact of the matter is: HR departments, hiring managers, and recruiters need to take advantage of the most common tools used by their potential hires and incorporate them into their own talent management strategies.
Here is a breakdown of the current status of social media at work and why acceptance of the trend may be a change for the better:
- About half of U.S. employers block their employees from using social media sites, despite all of the reasons they shouldn’t.
- 75% of respondents believe their company is behind the curve when it comes to the use of internal and external social networking technology.
A change may: increase employee morale and satisfaction.
- 57% of respondents believe social media at work drives new and innovative ideas.
- 55% believe social media helps for workplace alignment when it comes to keeping employees on track with the goals and objectives of the company.
A change may: create new company objectives to stay modern and boost creativity.
As 67% of companies have adopted or plan to adopt internal social media technology, it appears that these numbers are accelerating, and reasonably so. For the nonbelievers, social is good for business. Luckily for employers, social media is a skill most recent graduates and other Gen Y’ers are sharpening every day.
What are your company’s social media policies? Do you find it necessary to incorporate the use of social media and its networking capabilities at the workplace?
