Using Social Media to Connect a Workforce
by Adrianne George
Whether your workforce is in one building in one location or scattered across several locations you can use social media as the glue that holds them together. Team players don?t like to let team members down meaning you can facilitate a cohesive workforce determined to reach goals and lift the bottom line.
Yammer
Yammer is like Twitter which answers the question, ?What are you doing?? But instead of sending that information out across cyberspace, Yammer sends that message out across your workforce replacing the traditional office grapevine. Now your colleagues in Chicago can know what their colleagues are doing in Paris, and in real-time.
http://www.yammer.comIntranet
Using an intranet is like using the bulletin board over the water cooler. It can even facilitate the conversations that used to take place around the water cooler. Especially those conversations that would be impossible to have if one team members is hanging out around the cooler in San Francisco and another in Boston. Create a company blog on an intranet system and encourage employees to talk about themselves: weekend activities, favorite charities, movies, TV shows, theater, sports. The list can go on and on. The point is to feel connected to your team mates, even if it is just in spirit. You may be surprised by the ensuing conversation, shared tips and experiences.Teamspeak
Monthly meetings may be hard to have face-to-face when people are in different geographical locations. Fortunately there is software that can facilitate small and large group conversations using the Internet. Once such tool is Teamspeak. Put it on your server and let the conversation begin!
http://www.teamspeak.comNing
Don?t want to invest in an Intranet? There are a variety of platforms out there that you can customize to build your company?s own social network for employees. Ning provides chat, blogging, forums, photo and video sharing and the ability to create groups. You can use whatever URL you want, to most importantly, only open up your social network to your colleagues.
http://www.ning.com
Whether you work on different floors, in different offices or have a virtual workforce, social media lets you keep everyone connected.
? AG Communications Group
AG Communications group 