Month: December 2018

Social media platforms are a scary new front for most businesses. There are so many differing opinions about social media in the workplace. However, besides the main players like Facebook and Instagram, there are many social-related platforms that can evolve your business and increase communication and productivity amongst employees and clients. 

Social platforms and related software are part of the natural progression and evolution of business. Its currently being used in most businesses for collaboration, feedback, and research to name a few. It’s understandable to be hesitant, but could this improve your current processes? The answer is yes.  

Currently, social media platforms offer business utilization. This alone can cut out a lot of the daily customer service calls your office manager may be receiving each day. It won’t take the place of techs if work is needed, but many simple questions or inquiries can be answered. By doing that, you can also boost the number of leads your sales team are receiving too. Now your office manager can get off the phone and answer questions through the platform while they are working on other items. This can also help marketing ventures by visually showing you a slew of analytics that can assist in knowing what people want from you, or like to see.   

Communication between employees can also be enhanced and done more efficiently with social platforms. Microsoft Office offers a platform called Teams. Instead of walking all the way to someone’s office or trying to multitask while needing answers without a phone call, you can type in a name and send a message to anyone in the company. It cuts time in half, you get quick on the spot response or support. Techs don’t even have to leave their desk. Contact them via teams and they can begin to fix an issue remotely. This isn’t your only option, simply an example. There are several platforms that service so many areas of SMBs. 

Employee to employee communication isn’t the only thing that benefits from social tools. Client communication does as well. Many of these platforms offer things like instant messages, video conferencing, screen shares and team sites. Think about the amount of time that is saved for both the employee and the client. Your tech can be in the office working remote instead of spending an entire day at a client’s office. You can share documents, walk a client through a simple fix with a quick screen share. This is a huge win for employee productivity and efficiency, not only that but client expectations will be exceeded in a timely manner.  

Finally, social media, social tools, and social platforms are all shown to increase morale within a business. They are allowing employees to streamline their jobs without the stress and hassle of attempting to collaborate with different people via email or an office visit. It also shows them that you trust them to use these things on work time and not abuse the privilege. Taking a small break to check Facebook or network with a client makes a surprising difference in the workplace. Do some research and find out what would work best for your business. It never hurts to give it a try. For all you know, the results may surprise you. 

Everywhere you turn today you will find social media. People taking selfies at the grocery store, responding to Instagram while walking down the street, and of course checking Facebook status while clocked in at work. What do you do when social media use gets out of hand in the workplace? It can seem like a never-ending battle with employees, but it doesn’t have to be that way.   

Before you go any further, draft up a social media use policy. This will save you headaches and possible litigation. Employees can agree to it and follow it or they can find work elsewhere. Sounds harsh, I know, but your business’s reputation is not worth Mary’s selfie. Don’t get me wrong, the policy doesn’t have to be rigid and forceful. Your employees are adults and can handle responsibility. Similar to a job description, policies allow for clarification and accountability. Great for both employer and employee.

  

To create a social media use policy, start by splitting the policy between company official accounts and personal accounts. Then take a look at rules and regulations. With this part, you want to clearly overview your brand as well as how you want it perceived. It is important that employees are on the same page for this. That way the message is consistent across all platforms, no matter who posts or comments, talk about confidentiality and what company info can or cannot be shared. It can be similar to the non-disclosure you had your employees sign when they got hired. Then, of course, outline the potential consequences to not following these guidelines. Ensure these are clear and concise because a loophole can be quickly manipulated. Then you can go onto the same steps but for personal use.  

Once you have that jotted down, you can move to the next part, roles and responsibilities. It is in this section that you have to figure out who will have access to the company’s social media or to any in general. Think about it, it might not be best to block it altogether. You can harness the power of social media for your benefit though if you play it smart. Your marketing team will need it, well, to market. Sales can keep in touch with prospects or members easily and it gives all parties conformation that you care. Beyond that, you may want to give your receptionist or office manager access in order to help with customer service on different platforms.   

While working on this, keep a few things in mind. Don’t discourage use, and ensure the language of the document sounds positive. Employees will get upset with a big change to what they’re used to. A list of don’ts is only frustrating and discouraging. Also, be transparent on why you have a policy. Let them know that productivity has been affected. Not only that, be clear with them about the potential security risks you are trying to avoid. Train the employees using company social media how to see security risks and what to look for. Then finally, explain how a policy keeps everyone honest and accountable. As long as you are transparent about the new policy, implementing it shouldn’t be a huge issue. If you have employees assist you in drafting this document, that’s even better. They are part of the change and not being steamrolled by it.