Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube all roll off the tongue, but what do they actually mean, and more importantly, how can HR use social media for their own gains? Well, interestingly enough the core benefits of social media are rooted in the HR world, with specific attributes like people, communication and community, social media should be part of the HR department’s everyday working life.

Working in HR you know how many different facets there are to the sector, from employee benefits to training, and from recruitment to talent management, but importantly, social media can play a key role in whichever area best fits your job description within the HR arena.

 

Below are three of the key social media channels, with details on how they can assist and support you in the HR function you operate within:

1.       Facebook – Not just a tool for friends to stay in touch, today it’s the biggest player on the social media stage, and businesses are finding huge value as well. Communication is key in HR and having a platform where employees are comfortable interacting with one another and receiving corporate information (perhaps they have to fill out a 360 appraisal, or attend a training session), is essential. Facebook has the social element that breaks down corporate barriers and gives employees the chance to interact with the HR team in a far more authentic and genuine environment.

2.      Twitter – The way that people receive and digest information has changed. Once we were happy to sit in front of a trainer or HR member and be fed information for hours on end, today we want short and sharp news feeds that tell us what we need to know and when. The rise in the number of smartphone users shows that we are happy to take information on the run as well. Twitter provides the perfect platform for this. If HR can build a steady following of employees, it can send out messages that will be received by busy and always on the move individuals. Put simply, Twitter is the channel that HR should be using to get in touch with the biggest number over the shortest period of time.

3.      YouTube – Videos have revolutionised the way that we communicate to one another. Today if you want to know how something works, there is every chance you can search it on Google and there will be a video detailing how to complete the task – YouTube is not just for music videos and mobile uploads. Let’s say, for instance, that HR needs employees to take part in an employee survey that is online. Staff are far more likely to engage with, and respond positively to a YouTube video that clearly shows how they can fill out the survey, than an email with instructions.

Social media, of course, centres around communication, but this is such a crucial element to HR that it seems incredible that organisations are not making more use of these tools. The ‘social’ in social media does not confine it to friends chatting outside of work, they are tools that can rapidly enhance in-house communication and drive up HR efficiency and overall employee engagement

Elva Ainsworth
Talent Innovations – Download our whitepaper on 360 v Training at 360 Degree Appraisal