Everyday time at work seems to fly just like anything! Time spent to search that email that you had already read long time back, responding to all unread emails, searching for an important document that is required for your next meeting or giving attention to that colleague who has asked a help with his work and list goes on an on. Then you realize its almost half of your day has gone by and you are yet to finish your to do list at work!
When most of your work can be done with the help of information sharing and constant interaction with your colleagues don’t you think usage of social media can add more value and improve productivity at work? Well, this rings true to me.
Recently McKinsey Global Institute has released a report on Improved communication and Collaboration through social technologies. MGI’s estimates suggest that by fully implementing social technologies internally, companies have an opportunity to raise the productivity of interaction workers—high-skill knowledge workers, including managers and professionals—by 20 to 25 percent.
The report says:
An average interaction worker spends an estimated 28 percent of the workweek managing e-mail.
Nearly 20 percent looking for internal information or tracking down colleagues who can help with specific tasks.
But when companies use social media internally, messages become content; a searchable record of knowledge can reduce, by as much as 35 percent, the time employees spend searching for company information. Additional value can be realized through faster, more efficient, more effective collaboration, both within and between enterprises
Emergence of Social media has unleashed a platform for expressing your thoughts, sharing information in real time, getting feedbacks and initiating meaningful discussions. And by doing this companies have a cost effective way of influencing their customer, engaging them with discussions and monitoring their interaction to understand more about their product requirements or brand image.
But still most of the companies are still skeptical and even doubtful in implementing social media tools and technologies in their company. And for reasons most commonly like fear of losing confidential information, afraid of employees getting distracted from work, increase in the cost and time for monitoring the usage and future complications in unauthorized disclosure of private information.
Instead of showing resistance to change or stepping back due to fear, start reaping the benefits of using social technologies by having a well informed Social Media policy that says the dos and don’ts to your employees and enforces them. MGI highlights the need for an organization to be more open and have a culture of trust. And to encourage enthusiastic participation of employees and share their thoughts and information which can be useful in doing their jobs better.
Quite challenging always! What do you think?
