It's normal to fear something new!
Social Media initiatives can upset your staff. Not everyone wants to use Facebook or Twitter to communicate with customers. People get worried the Net will intrude upon their personal privacy.
This is normal. I even think it’s healthy to be wary of how the Net is radically changing the amount of access others have to our private lives.
The best thing to do if you’re introducing social media to the way your company works is organise training and information days for staff:
- Make them aware of what you’re trying to do.
- Show them where the barrier between work and personal life is.
- Help them to use the tools that are out there to protect their private lives.
Facebook is a great way of engaging communities. There’s something about Facebook Fan Pages that get you clicking onto other people’s profiles. If your staff are present on Facebook, show them how to protect their privacy by limiting access to Friends Only, for example.
Social Media isn’t just marketing
One of the things I’ve come up against recently with some of my clients is that some staff think social media is just about marketing, about nailing another sale. It’s not. It’s about improving the way companies and customers talk to each other, share information and learn from each other.
Sharing ideas, listening and engaging through Facebook Fan Pages, Twitter, etc, can teach you things about your company or the way you work that you weren’t aware of. That’s a good thing and not something to worry about.
Surely any business that’s intent on delivering quality and service listens to its customers and reacts accordingly?
Growing is Painful
As organizations begin to experiment more with social media, it’s understandable your staff will worry what this means for them. Make sure you provide adequate training so staff are confident using social media tools, and give them the support and encouragement they need to learn how to draw a healthy boundary between work and their private life.
The emergence of social media is changing the way we do business and the way we communicate. As this space grows and changes we’ll learn more about it and how to get the most out of it. If it is part of your business, try to remember that change is always different and that some staff will feel threatened by emerging communication channels just as others will embrace them.
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Jon,
It’s a valid point to think about, however it’s imperative that company employees don’t get dragged down by privacy fears.
As the internet and social media conversations progress, we are taking part in a shared “two-way dialogue”.
Everyone is in the conversation for a reason, and every company has to realise that in order to be part of the greater picture they have to be ready to be more accessible and communicative, rather then in fear.
I agree, Josh. But it’s hard to convince fiftysomethings sometimes because they’re wary of the Net. As long as management is positive and shows the benefits of getting involved in the conversation I find that people are okay. Ignorance tends to breed paranoia.
Thanks for joining in the conversation.