Next-Generation Social Intranets

By Margery Weinstein

Among the key challenges facing organizations that want to implement workforce management is the disconnect between the functional departments involved, says Chris Yeh, vice president, Marketing, PBworks. “HR, Operations, and IT sit in technological and organizational silos, with little common context to foster understanding,” he points out. “Often, the only common technology platforms between the three are the phone system, e-mail, and the corporate intranet.”

While the phone system and e-mail are unlikely to change greatly, Yeh says the corporate intranet offers an opportunity to break down the organizational silos with a technology solution. “Organizations that switch to next-generation ‘Social Intranets’ can leverage the tools of Web 2.0 and social networks, such as Facebook, within a corporate setting,” he explains. “By providing greater transparency with user profiles, activity streams, and Twitter-like micro-sharing, a social intranet can build common context between disparate departments.” Yeh recommends the following steps to implement such a solution effectively: 

• Select a solution that incorporates day-to-day workflow, as well as social elements. Employees are more likely to use a tool that is essential to their work than a simple add-on.
• Make sure the solution provides the flexibility for individual teams and projects to self-organize, while still allowing centralized supervision.
• Implement a solution that offers universal accessibility. Employees should be able to access the social intranet from home computers and smartphones, as well as from within the corporate network.
• Emphasize ease of use and usability to maximize adoption.
• Seek both top-down and bottom-up advocacy. Senior management needs to demonstrate its commitment. At the same time, praise and highlight early adopters who find ways to use the new technology on the front lines.

HAVE INPUT OR TIPS on this topic? If so, send them our way in an e-mail to lorri@trainingmag.com with the subject line, “Social Intranet,” and we’ll try to include your advice in an upcoming issue of the Training Tech Talk e-newsletter.