If your company is planning a social business communication strategy from a top-down perspective (see my blog here about top-down social business network strategies), then you'll already know about the countless hours assessing the range of social business software vendors. You're already on your way however you may be interested to keep reading in any case.

So lets look at the bottom-up, private social networks that spread virally among co-workers (see blog here for more info about viral social business networks). Do you know if someone in your company has already started an internal community? The platform options are mostly low cost (and sometimes free to setup) so they are usually started within teams.

Lets just say that a social business network is already underway in your office. What does this mean from a strategic social business perspective? What happens if this internal community has been established on a platform that offers limited control and flexibility? Could you simply shut it down and start again at a more appropriate time?

Management could sit back and watch what happens or they could block access until the internal social business strategy has been developed.

The key concern regarding the 'do nothing and watch what happens' approach is that your internal social business network could become trapped on a platform that is inflexible or does not offer sufficient administration functionality. The consequences of an unmanageable community may seriously impact your business and culture over a period of time.

You may however be interested to note that for companies without a defined strategy I strongly advise against extinguishing any viral communities within your company.

The benefits of an internal social network far outweigh potential negative outcomes that may be perceived by management. This type of socialized business communication is the way that employees of the future are already starting to communicate. Each day that passes this business communication revolution continues to prove itself worthwhile. We're slowly reaching the point of 'when to implement' as apposed to 'if we should implement'.

We've seen over the past few years that it can take some time for an internal social network to stabilize and gain traction amongst employees. Our experience indicates that by blocking access you could be losing critical ground that may lead to a competitive advantage in the way that you attract new employees, engage with current employees and generally conduct business going forward.

If an internal social network is not on your agenda then the answer for now is to allow (and in some cases encourage) multiple offerings to co-exist within your teams. Let them grow at their own organic pace however the key is to monitor the platforms being used to ensure that they will align with your strategic goals when you eventually take a pro-active social business software stance. (This means that each social business software platform should be silently vetted to ensure it meets sufficient levels of security, flexibility and administration control.)

Can multiple social business network platforms exist in a planned social business strategy implementation? I'll address this in another blog however some people believe that in life (and in business) its always preferable to date and fall in love rather than entering into an arranged marriage.

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Mumba Cloud is a secure social network for business. It's available worldwide to companies of all sizes. Mumba Cloud is especially useful for businesses with geographically spread employees. Mumba Cloud plans range from basic functionality at no charge to a low cost 'per seat' fee for advanced administration features. Additional functionality can be added via the Mumba Cloud App Store.

Mumba Cloud Enterprise is a bespoke customized system suited for large scale enterprise deployments.

Visit www.mumbacloud.com to create your free internal business network in a few minutes.

In another blog I spoke about top down social business network implementations. This blog looks at viral social business networks that are started without sanction, by any employee within your organization.

Successful top-down social business networks are driven by senior executive management who can lay down the vision, successfully navigate objections and overcome the concerns. 

Bottom up, or viral social business networks start without any plan or vision, however offer a brilliant chance of achieving success within the business.

Viral social business networks are usually started by someone in your company looking to fill a communication gap within their immediate team.

Common gaps include: lack of tools to facilitate group discussions, announcements, sharing of best practice tips, seamless updates of current news and events.

For example, a Mumba Cloud social business network can be created free of charge by an HR Manager. This employee can invite their co-workers to join the network via a secure invitation system. Mumba Cloud allows the employees to collaborate, create work groups, project teams, discussions, announcements, events etc. The network of co-workers continues to spread to different teams via word of mouth as the system gains popularity.  

This type of social business network becomes popular because: 

a) It's created for a specific business purpose - teams can now communicate in a secure online business environment

b) Employees join the network out of their own volition, i.e. they join via carrot instead of the stick

c) The network survives based on its own merits (if it adds value to the workday)

Before you know it, a thriving social business community could exist within your organization. Does that worry you?

It shouldn't, because if your employees are using a reputable vendor then at some point you could take control of the network and direct the focus of communication through moderation, policy, controls and other administration tools.

Despite what we sometimes read in the media, private social communities are still new to business. Executives have witnessed the transformational power of Facebook and other social media tools like Twitter. They are concerned (and rightfully so) about the potential impacts on their organization. 

Mumba has been fortunate to work through one of the world's largest "top down" social business software implementations. Top down means that the private social network has been systematically implemented from management downwards when compared with viral un-structured adoption.  Private social business networking software is a disruptive technology and we therefore follow a structured consultative approach to overcoming the inherent business concerns.

Mumba's consultation process generally begins with a detailed discovery of the organizational objectives and requirements (usually with HR management). As we move through our processes we begin to include a range of key stakeholders to achieve the appropriate buy-in. When the project gains wider business attention, the foundations start to shift and the implementation sometimes falls under deep scrutiny.

Key areas of concern surround IT, communication, culture, legal and compliance, workplace relations and general business management.

Some typical questions include:

• How does this fit into our IT road-map?
• Are we ready to flatten organization communication?
• How do we measure return on investment?
• Will employees waste time socializing?
• What about harassment and abuse? 
• Who is going to moderate and monitor the community?
• Will our staff even use this system?

 

How do we navigate through this politically charged minefield?  Our experience has taught us that there is only one effective way to overcome the negativity and doubts. The answer is really a change-management cliché.

If you want a successful social business community then you need a leader, at the very top, driving the project. The CEO, COO, CIO, HR Director (or similar) are the people who can lay down the vision, successfully navigate  the objections and overcome the concerns.  Furthermore these senior leaders can ensure the longevity of the community by constant re-enforcement and engagement from the top.

Without a senior leader holding the reins, your project is at risk of becoming an amalgamation of compromised objectives. This will often result in a system that never really catches-on within your organization.

I'd love to hear about your experiences dealing with the consultation and implementation process. I'll be happy to address questions and offer ideas. Please feel free to comment or email me here.

Should you be concerned that a private social community will distract staff from their work?

This is in fact a concern that often poses a barrier to adoption. If you share this apprehension then it is important to understand that a private business community can unlock far greater benefits than detractions. It's really a case of taking five steps forwards and a single step back.

A person who abuses the system will always find ways to avoid their tasks. An effective private community should actually improve this persons attitude towards their job. The gains in productivity and efficiencies, increases in knowledge exchange, building of relationships and camaraderie are exponential.

We're about to unveil a private social community platform that you can launch within your business at absolutely no charge. There is no better time to trial this technology and see for yourself.

Please click here to register your interest and you could be first to discover a revolutionary new way of communicating with your co-workers.

 

I recently came across an interview with the CEO of Deloitte Australia, Giam Swiegers, talking to Leon Gettler about the implementation of their social business software (also known as Enterprise 2.0).

Deloitte Australia has adopted Yammer (a social business software tool) to enhance and flatten organisational communication. Based on information in this video (see below) and their social media whitepaper, over 50% of Deloitte employees are active on Yammer with more than 100 conversations each day. It seems that Yammer is currently being used to identify skills, share knowledge and openly debate business issues.

In this interview Mr Swiegers mentions how a first year analyst debates one of his presentations within an open (un-moderated) discussion using Yammer, while another analyst initiates a firm-wide policy change within 48 hours.

Mr Swiegers enthusiasm for flattening the organisation via social business software is unique and perhaps admirable at this early stage of market adoption, however many senior executives would baulk at the thought of his scenarios gaining traction within their company (even Leon Gettler seemed uneasy at times).

Social media experts advise their clients to embrace the free flow of social media participation. Primarily because you cannot control it - so this is really just good common sense. However social business software is different and can be controlled. This enables management to protect the integrity of information being broadcast within their corporate environment.

Social business software looks like social media, smells like social media but is vastly different in 2 key areas. Firstly it's flexible so it can be tailored around your business and secondly it can be adapted to meet specific business objectives and scenarios. In short, you have complete control with social business software and that is a game changer when you start to consider it’s application.

I've written about the impact of social business software ‘democratising’ decision making, and the Deloitte interview strikes at the heart of the following questions:

Can a 24 year old graduate really change a firm wide policy within 48 hours? If so, what are the implications? Surely Deloitte has a considered strategy at play here?

Yes; it’s too early to tell and; I'm not convinced are my answers to these questions.

For most, it's intimidating to think how social business software could transform their company especially when you consider the dramatic impact of social media on the world.

It's true that radical transformation is possible, however a considered and measured approach applied to defined strategic objectives will allow you to harness the potential and avoid hazardous consequences.

Why not start a discussion today and explore how social business software can enhance your business.

Video of Giam Swiegers, CEO of Deloitte Australia talking to Leon Gettler:

I was recently presenting our social business software cloud application to a group of HR professionals.

Personally, I'm quite interested in the application of our "employee idea and innovation module" because it's an effective way for employees to submit, vote and collaborate on new ideas within the business.

The module is completely integrated into the employee profile and activity stream ensuring prominent ideas and discussions gain visibility. Employees can also subscribe to topics of interest and filter the discussions by popularity and ratings.

Nearing the end of this segment a lively discussion emerged. The primary concern was related to the company's obligation to implement ideas and suggestions that gain employee popularity.

Would management be increasingly compelled to discuss business decisions and more importantly would this type of general employee involvement eventually lead to 'democratised' decision making within the organization?

These questions deserve to be dealt with from a number of operational (and psychological) perspectives however the key point of this article, and the point of social business software in general, is that it is just that; software.

On a practical level, any type of social business software or enterprise 2.0 related application should be implemented as a tool to reduce inefficiencies, increase communication and assist employees to easier achieve their daily agenda.

That's where a pure-play social business software specialist comes into play. It's our job to first understand your business objectives and your employee frustrations so that we can then mould our software to resolve your specific business scenarios.

The answer to this blog question (after my long winded pre-amble) is that yes, social business software does democratise business decisions - but only if you want it to.

An interactive ideas and discussion module can be restricted to senior management access; adapted to only accept ideas for competitions; limited to specific business or social topics; perhaps employee feedback, commenting and voting would be disabled. These suggestions just scratch the surface.

Pure-play social business software providers are positioned to understand the business value, unlock the application potential and then adapt the tools to your culture and modus operandi.

I’d really like to hear some feedback about your troublesome business scenarios. I’d be happy to share my thoughts about how social business software tools could be designed to alleviate your pain. Please use the comments box below or contact me on ant [at] mumba [dot] com [dot] au

 

We like the term "Pure-play social business software specialist" or simply "Pure-play provider" because it differentiates us from the behemoth "Microsoft SharePoint" or "IBM Connections" software vendors of this world.

A Pure-play social business software expert is essentially a technology vendor that specializes in the development, consultation, customization, execution and ongoing management of a social business software implementation.

In other words, we live and breath social business software day in and day out. Our software applications are robust, flexible, adaptable and offer far greater functionality when compared to Microsoft and IBM packages.

Pure-play providers are immersed in the world of social business software. We are focused on best practice for management control, employee adoption strategies and ongoing systems utilisation.

Most importantly a pure-play provider understands the full capabilities of social business software tools so that they can be modified and applied to any business objective.

If you are serious about communicating with your staff, then you should speak to a pure-play social business software specialist.

How developed is the Enterprise 2.0 and Social Business Software market? Are we nearing a Social Business tornado? The following thought might help you understand the market position.

Most of our clients; large public companies spread across a range of industries, are still deploying Internet Explorer 6 as their default web browser.

For those out of the know, IE6 was released in 2001 and in tech years is now way past its extinction date.

So why are so many businesses still clinging to it? Could it be due to network security risks? Perhaps a lack of budget or business priority? Systems compatibility is always a concern.

The answer is not really important. IE6 is just a metaphor and the fact still remains. 10 years later, most large Australian businesses are maintaining ancient legacy software. The small step to social business and enterprise 2.0 systems seems like a giant leap.

Both a challenge and an opportunity.

No one disputes the importance of communicating with employees. Consultancies, books, workshops and public speaking careers have been built around educating management on the latest communication techniques.

Effective employee communicating is a key focus for all employee engagement strategies and the foundation of the Social Business Software and Enterprise 2.0 industry. It's obvious, we work in a knowledge-share age and this knowledge can only be shared through communication.

Here’s an explosive insight: by the time you are finished crafting your message, shooting your webcast video, proofing, editing, re-writing, adjusting colour, quality reviewing and gaining compliance the moment has....... passed.

How can you possibly communicate regularly with your employees when so much time and effort is required for every communication? What is the solution?

Your employees are actually far more likely to read your messages (and enjoy them) if they are short, sharp and relevant (i.e. talk about a win when it happens, not a few months after the fact).

Short messages are far easier to compose, require far less consideration and will achieve an exponentially greater result. We know that Twitter and Facebook have shaped the short message reality however these businesses have thrived because short messages are interesting. They cut through clutter and really work.

With all this in mind, there is no good reason why you couldn't start communicating regularly today. Well, you may need to contact someone about Social Business Software applications first.

These tips will help get you started:

1. Your messages should be communicated minimum once a week however test them over a 6 week period to find the right balance

 

1. For a web video try limit the message to around 60 seconds and written messages can range from a couple of sentences to a maximum of 3 paragraphs. If you have more to say then ask a colleague to help you cut it down or span your ideas over a few different messages

 

1. Offer your employees a way to provide feedback on your messages, either by rating them or commenting. It's a business communication so your employees will consider their comments carefully before posting a comment (social business software applications will help with this)

Question: Your employees receive thousands of emails each week. How do you cut through the clutter?

Answer: Regular communication with relevant content.

Rational thinking dictates that periodic communication will increase responsiveness. The reasoning is that employee’s will believe the message to be “more important” because it is less frequent.

Ironically, it’s quite the opposite. Each time you send an email only a small percentage of employees will open it. The greater the period between communications, the less opportunity for this percentage to gain momentum and grow. We know this first hand because we've been measuring our communication statistics over the past 4 years.

If you want to reach your employees with benefits or any general messages, you need to communicate with them regularly. I hear you saying that you don’t have the resources or fresh content to deliver your staff regular emails?

This is covered in Lesson 2. I spoke about outsourcing a portion of your employee benefits program – the portion that will deliver you fresh, new employee benefit content each week. Remember that each email communication must display your branding, unique message and fresh content.

 

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & BEST PRACTISE ARTICLES FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PROGRAMS

Most medium and large companies offer their staff a range of employee benefit products and services. Some do it well and others, not so well. I’m going to periodically write about the key employee benefit lessons we’ve learnt from working with our diverse range of clients.

Whether you are outsourcing your entire benefits program, running the show in-house or a combination of the two, these lessons will help you gain the most value for your time, effort and budget. Please click here to subscribe to this blog.