Nonprofits: Is investing time/money/resources to adopt social web strategies worthwhile?

Yes

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by Arun

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The big question that an organization has to ask itself before investing in Social Web strategies is - What are the organizations true assets? Is it the financial prowess of the firm, the market value, the products or is it the employees? As with most organizations, retaining and nurturing the best talent is what sustains growth,and it is from the angle of enriching the employee experience that Social Web strategies are an essential ingredient in the current and future work space. Let us analyze the factors that contribute to this argument.

The generation and age factor: Social networking is no longer the pleasurable indulgence of the community. For the 20 - 30 year olds, its the bloodline that helps them stay networked in the fast paced world. For the generation that grows up on the MySpaces and FaceBooks, the availability of a social network within the workplace is a necessity than a convenience. And firms that fail to adopt the proper strategies will lose top talent.

The power of networking: In the information age, the information high way has been a boon for those seeking information, but the one important aspect that was left out was the originator of the information. In the end, all documents, or feeds or clips posted on the web are the results of human analysis. So until and unless the human is also kept in the loop, the information cycle is never complete. This is far fetched argument, but the fact is that the advancements of today's search engines cannot replace human ability.

Remaining connected within organization: Social networks are in the end an extension to information dispersal. They have dramatically improved person to person contact be drastically diminishing the space,time and the economical factors to staying connected. In the long run, the leaps in communication are bound to reap dividends for organizations which critically depend on team work for success.

Talent Pooling: Social networks have opened a new dimension to the question of talent pooling. More than ever before, organizations have the power to attract and filter the best matching talent to their requirements. It is possible for the referrals to be in touch the recruiters and be followed up in a process that is seamless. The ability to assess and provide instant feedback is the best an organization can hope for.

Transparency: Perhaps the most important need to promote Social Web strategies is that they remove the barrier between the upper management and the employees. Social networks provide a common platform for employees to interact, raise grievances, be addressed and most importantly be heard.

Its the information gap that social web strategies address in an organization. And as the health of an organization is reflected in the health of the relation among its employees, Social networks are the best tools to gauge monitor and improve this "Enterprise Health".

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