Social Networking and Web 2.0 in the Workplace

There is no doubt that social media has firmly established its place in American society, as evidenced by the 2.4 million visitors to Twitter alone – a figure that includes a good portion of the members of Congress who use Twitter to stay connected to their constituents.

If Congress can recognize the value of social networking tools, why can’t businesses?

According to a recent Kforce survey, almost half of all survey respondents (47.7 percent) stated that they do not use any social networking/social media sites for business purposes.  Of those who do, LinkedIn topped the list of the most used sites with 43.1 percent of respondents, while Facebook came in second with 7.7 percent. 

The survey, conducted Jan. 29 – Feb. 24, 2009, was designed to gauge if and how businesses and/or organizations are using the tools available to them on the Web through social networking, social media and Web 2.0 features. 

Surprisingly, the majority (64.6 percent) said their business has not taken advantage of any Web 2.0 platform.  Of the minority that did use Web 2.0 tools, mobile texting (20 percent) was most popular, followed by podcasts (12.3 percent), blogs (12.3 percent), wikis (9.2 percent) and RSS feeds (3.1 percent). 

Interacting with potential customers (30.8 percent) was the primary reason for utilizing social media tools.  Recruiting and business development were also notable uses, as indicated by 21.5 percent of respondents. 

When asked whether their organization had a standard policy regarding social networking behavior and usage, 38.5 percent of users said no.  More than 30 percent stated they are not allowed any access to social media tools during work hours, while 21.5 percent have limited access and 21.5 percent had unlimited access. 

In regards to using the Web for recruitment, the majority (67.7 percent) do not use any site for such purposes.  Almost a quarter (23.1 percent) indicated that they use LinkedIn for seeking new hires. 

In the blogosphere, the presence of the organizations surveyed is next to none, with just 4.6 percent of respondents noting that their business maintains its own blog. 

Social networking users increase by roughly 47 percent each year, reaching a vast majority of all active Web users according to Nielson/NetRatings.  With such numbers, businesses and corporations should be a part of that growth and take full advantage of the new media. 

If you’re interested in exploring the many ways your company can make use of social networking, join Kforce on March 20 at 3:00 p.m. EST for “Tapping into the Recruitment Power of Social Networking.” During this one-hour webinar, social media experts will delve into the most popular and effective social networking sites, educate attendees on how to create a presence on these sites and provide tips for incorporating social networking into recruitment strategies.  For more information and to register, go to http://www.kforce.com/info/Tapping_Into_the_Recruitment_Power_of_Social_Networking.asp?id=1218
 

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