Making the Case for Social Media Education in the Workplace

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Pew Research Center recently published a report on Social Media and the Workplace and its findings confirm a deep-seated misunderstanding of the crucial role social media can play in advancing the interests of all businesses.

Almost all social media analyses to date focus on the student demographic where uninformed misuse can create problems with college admissions, scholarships, and future employment opportunities. Yet, risks of misuse apply equally to social media users who are older but not necessarily any wiser than their younger counterparts. What is missing from the overall discussion is how teaching workers about the proper and elevated use of social media can create opportunities for them and the organizations they represent.

Although social media provides businesses with unprecedented real-time access to and two-way belarus phone number library communication with stakeholders around the globe it very much remains an underutilized asset. As with schools blindly focused on containing irresponsible teen social media use, effective social media policies for businesses must avoid an emphasis on restraint and instead promote productive social media use via effective education. Here are 3 core reasons why:

1. Every worker is now an extension of the brand

Social media makes each worker a touch-point for the organization they represent. Their social media activities reflect upon their employer’s brand as much as they reflect upon themselves. There is no longer a fence separating personal and professional activities. We are all defined by the public social media persona that is created by what we choose to publish about our lives. That same persona then attaches itself to the groups and organizations we, as individuals, represent or are affiliated with. When properly executed within a business environment, using the social media network of an engaged employee base will effectively extend brand messaging directly to their groups and communities in a consistent and reinforcing way.

With the potential to build a brand one employee at a time, it is incumbent for savvy employers to educate workers on the reach and discoverability of their social media activities. This elevated view will also empower workers to produce content that reflects upon their professional achievements, activities, interests and goals. An engaged and motivated workforce as demonstrated on social media will not only benefit the company but will also: