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Social Media 2017: Are the Rules Changing?

Social media rules change fast—there’s no doubt about that.  As platforms evolve, technology improves, and all industries embrace the possibilities, there’s no ignoring the fact that today’s working professionals must learn to leverage social media best practices. Between the many examples of social media fails on the corporate side, and the fact that customers and clients now use social to engage with companies 24/7, organizations that succeed in 2017 will surely need to know how to navigate social media.

Of course, when you consider some of the key issues involved in a company’s social media usage—privacy concerns, brand reputation, and corporate transparency—it’s clear, the stakes are very high.

Let’s explore some of the major ways social media is changing the way we do business:

Fact: Social media is taking once-private information public. 

How transparent is your organization willing to be in social media?

As usage of social media has become almost ubiquitous, citizens, consumers, and industry professionals alike clamoring for more transparency. A big question executives must ask themselves is just how transparent a company should be when it comes to things like internal inner-workings, financials, workplace policies, hiring practices, and employee relations?

Some companies are opting for complete transparency. Take the social media management firm Buffer, as an example, which published the salaries of all employees, as well as other company information like employee diversity breakdown, and company revenue. While total exposure might not be the right solution for your organization, as more businesses embrace this trend, you will need to have a serious conversation about the types of information your stakeholders and prospects will expect to know. You’ll also want clear direction as to where to draw the line in the sand regarding which issues and items must remain confidential.

From a hiring perspective, candidates are already doing research on your company to determine if it’s the right opportunity for them. By utilizing social media channels, you can help to control the messaging, so prospective employees are not relying solely on third-party reviews, which may not always be the most accurate—or positive. The more direct information you can provide, the more likely it is you will cultivate a sense of trust and attract like-minded candidates.

Fact: Companies are using social media to influence.

Have you given your employees the skills and tools to become employee advocates?

It’s no longer enough to have just a career page on your website. When HR and marketing departments work together to empower their workforce to share the company’s story on social media, those employees can become influencers and trusted authorities.

Some questions to consider: Do your hiring managers come across as approachable and knowledgeable on social media? Is your brand message shining through via your employees’ social profiles? If your answers to these questions aren’t a resounding yes—you may have some catching up to do to get your management team on board with social.

And not just the managers. Encouraging staff members at every level to promote your company brand on social helps expand your influence in the industry. As reported by HootSuite, content shared by employees gets eight times more engagement than content shared by brand channels. Allowing your staff to take the reins can successfully expand your reach and attract new followers.

Fact: Social media as recruiting tool is here to stay.

Is your message consistent, and is your company culture highlighted?

According to Jibe’s State Of Employer Branding survey, 88 percent of respondents said that social media was already part of their employer branding strategy. But just dabbling on LinkedIn or sending out the occasional tweet isn’t going to help you stand out. It’s important to work with marketing to develop a coherent social media content strategy, so that prospective candidates get an accurate glimpse into what your company culture is all about.

Being able to depict your workplace as one in which employees are engaged by sharing a look inside your office space and spotlighting different roles can help outsiders understand the company values and the story behind the brand.

Social media is no longer something that concerns only your corporate communications and marketing teams. The perception of your business by potential talent has everything to do with the social media policies and best practices you help put in place. By choosing the right level of transparency, becoming industry influencers, and shaping and spreading your message, you can make the latest HR social media trends work for you.

Photo Credit: Hytechpro Flickr via Compfight cc

This article was first published on V3Broadsuite.

HR: Why Social Media Policy Matters More Than Ever

Social media has been around for a while now. In fact, social media applications have never been more mainstream than they are today. Facebook, not surprisingly, is the big winner, with nearly three-quarters of American adults liking and posting and sharing daily—a number that jumps to a staggering 82 percent when you pinpoint the 18–29-year-old age range. Then you have the rapid growth of the visual-sharing social platforms: Video is on a fast climb to the top when it comes to social media popularity, and if you haven’t already, you should familiarize yourself with Instagram Video, Facebook Live, and Snapchat.

So, you would assume most of those users have a relatively firm grasp of what is considered appropriate in social media sharing, right? Wrong. In fact, you couldn’t BE more wrong. Consider the Emmy award winning TV anchor fired for her racially insensitive Facebook post. Or the Ohio school bus driver fired for posting a selfie—while on her bus—purporting to show her drinking from a beer bottle.”

Not convinced? How about the Texas teen who tweeted herself out of a pizzeria job after her boss saw her less than enthusiastic tweets (complete with ‘thumbs down’ emojis)? And then, in what might be the most head-shaking, “Just what were you thinking?” social media sharing story yet—there’s the Buffalo police officer suspended without pay for posting Vine videos cracking jokes about enjoying illicit drugs from the evidence room. He even wore his uniform in some of them!

Social Media Self-Sabotage

Sadly, stories like these are just the tip of the iceberg. You can barely turn around these days without tripping over posts where disgruntled employees use social media to complain about how much money they (don’t) make, moan about their day-to-day workload, or comment inappropriately about the latest hot topic news story or global catastrophe.

You might think “Oh, well, employee fired, end of story – not going to affect my business, my reputation or my earnings.” Wrong again. There are myriad stories of companies whose employees have made epic social media missteps on behalf of their employer..

A large corporation tweeting about scones and other “comforting” breakfast foods, post-Boston Marathon bombing? It’s been done. A highly stylized image of the Challenger space shuttle disaster, posted on July 4th weekend? Done. A company trying (and failing wildly) to capitalize on a trending hashtag about domestic violence by tweeting “#WhyIStayed—You had pizza!” Sigh. Yes. Also done.

That said, I’ve written before about the benefits of using social media, especially for your recruitment and hiring: Increased candidate diversity, higher employee retention, higher candidate volume and, lower costs per hire, to name just a few.

So the last thing I want is for anyone to be afraid—the goal is to avoid social media missteps and digital brand failures. And, the easiest and most effective way you can do that is by having an up- to-date (and regularly updated) company-wide social media policy in place.

Social Media Policy Particulars

The NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) has been weighing in on social media policies for a few years now, with mixed “reviews,” for lack of a better term. I am not a labor lawyer, so I advise everyone to do some Google searches, and read about the NLRB’s stance when it comes to individual corporate social media policies. Here’s a good place to start.

Aside from the NLRB, you also have to take into consideration the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), whose mission is “To prevent business practices that are anti-competitive or deceptive or unfair to consumers.” It all comes down to kindergarten—play fair, folks. Consider relationships and disclosure as the golden rules of social media engagement. As SocialMediaToday.com writes, “…relationships must be disclosed so that people know which information is coming from a competitor or affiliate of a competitor. If you are paid by a brand and then endorse a product or service, that should also be disclosed.”

Here are a few areas you must be considerate of when you are checking over and updating your social media policy, so as not to run afoul of the FTC.

Online reviews and comments: Your employees must never post negative comments or reviews of your competition’s goods and services without first disclosing where they work. This is called astroturfing, and is, unfortunately, a somewhat common occurrence—until companies get caught, that is, as Samsung did a few years back.

Blogging: Any time you receive a product or service for free from another company, or if you have affiliate partnerships with another company, and you write about or mention them in an article, you must disclose these relationships or risk hefty fines. The FTC has published a guide which has “…set forth the general principles that the Commission will use in evaluating endorsements and testimonials, together with examples illustrating the application of those principles.” You can read it here.

Online Advertising: Is it crystal clear your ads are ads? Do you make every effort to ensure it’s crystal clear? If you don’t, you might get your knuckles rapped.

The takeaway from the above? Number one—play fair, and number two, remember that it’s YOUR responsibility to ensure your employees are fully versed in the rules of disclosure. And, that you actively have taken steps to train them. A quick read of a companywide email is not enough.
Social Media Policies: Some Quick Considerations
Social media policies vary from company to company, and industry to industry, but there are a few “building blocks” that you should use to create the foundation of your corporate guidelines.

Your employees don’t have the same level of knowledge: Never assume. We all know how that usually ends up, and it’s never good. Just because Sarah is a Millennial, who works in marketing and Joe is a boomer toiling away on the factory floor, don’t assume that Joe knows nothing about social media, and Sarah is the digital native. Your social media policy should be part of a company-wide training plan, and you must include everyone on your staff.

Clearly map out your expectations for your corporate social channels: What might be acceptable content for a Tweet might be the last thing you want to see posted on your company LinkedIn page. You might have (and allow) more fun on Facebook, but require your Twitter account to remain a space for courting influencers—ergo slightly higher-level. It is your responsibility to use precise language to describe all of your social media platforms, and what the expectations are for each when it comes to posting corporate content.

Map out productivity expectations: Laying the hammer down when it comes to social media usage while on the job simply won’t work in today’s digital age. That said, you should lay out clear expectations as to how much “on the job” social media activity is acceptable, and where you will draw the line. Responsible employees who regularly hit deadlines and make good on deliverables should not be penalized for a bit of mid-day chatter online.

Privacy and confidentiality: And, perhaps most importantly, consult your legal team, and cross your Ts and dot your Is, when it comes to company privacy and confidentiality concerns. Your employees need to know what information is considered proprietary, what they can and can’t share when it comes to corporate performance or working conditions. Those guidelines must be crystal clear. And again, as I mentioned above, here’s where it pays to be up to speed on the NLRB’s take on things—sharing information about compensation, working conditions, and manager performance may be considered protected speech that cannot be restricted.

The bottom line is this: None of us want to end up being tomorrow’s front page social media disaster story, but our world today is mobile and digitally driven, and it’s not going to change anytime soon. Social media has become our “town square,” a place where people connect and communicate, sharing intimate details about almost every aspect of their day to day lives. And that includes information about their workdays—the good, the bad, and the ugly. By being proactive rather than reactive, and having sound (and regularly updated) corporate social media policies in place, both you and your employees can feel protected and comfortable when venturing into the online social media space.

What do you think? Do you have a solid social media policy in place? When’s the last time you’ve given it a good once-over? Do your employees have easy access to it? Do you talk to your employees regularly about their social activity, and how it relates to their work? I would love to hear your thoughts.

A version of this was first posted on V3Broadsuite

Photo Credit: freestocks.org via Compfight cc

TMI? Fresh Take on Privacy by an HR Lawyer #TChat Preview

(Editor’s Note: Want to see complete highlights and resource links from this week’s #TChat events? Read the recap: “The Social Workplace: Nowhere To Hide.”)

For better or worse, much of today’s world of work now plays out on a relatively open, social stage. Many of us — employers, employees and job candidates alike — welcome this as progress. However, it also raises core legal questions about transparency and confidentiality on all sides of the employment equation.

It’s like a scene from Goldilocks and the Three Bears. How do you know if you’re openly exchanging too much information? Too little? Or just the right amount? What business practices are accepted in your organization? What does common sense tell you? And what would a lawyer do?

Fortunately for the TalentCulture community, a smart, HR-savvy attorney is in the #TChat house this week to advise us about these issues!

Our guest expert this week is Mary Wright, former General Counsel of Ogletree Deakins, a premier employment litigation firm, and founding Editor of HR Gazette, a daily online newspaper for HR professionals and employment lawyers.

To kick-off this week’s conversation, I spoke briefly with Mary in a G+ Hangout, where she explained why it’s time to recast “privacy rights” workplace issues in a more positive light:

#TChat Events: Transparency vs. Privacy in the World of Work

This promises to be an enlightening week for HR and recruiting professionals, as well as employees and job seekers everywhere. So join us with your questions, concerns, ideas and opinions!

#TChat Radio — Wed, Sep 25 6:30pmET / 3:30pmPT

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Tune-in to the #TChat Radio show

Our hosts, Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman talk with Mary Wright about legal issues and implications surrounding privacy in the workplace — from the perspective of employers as well as employees and job candidates. Tune-in to the interview LIVE online, and call-in with your comments and questions!

#TChat Twitter — Wed, Sep 25 7pmET / 4pmPT

Immediately following the radio show, we’ll move the discussion to the #TChat Twitter stream, for an open chat with the entire TalentCulture community. Anyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we address these questions:

Q1: What does transparency and privacy in the workplace mean to you?
Q2: Are transparency and privacy essential to orderly and efficient workplaces?
Q3: What are the most common legal mistakes employers and employees make with one another?
Q4: What can business leaders do to balance the two and avoid legal trouble?
Q5: How does technology enable and hinder transparency and privacy in the workplace?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our LinkedIn Discussion Group. So please join us share your questions, ideas and opinions.

We’ll see you on the stream!

HR Shifts to the Fast Lane: #TChat Recap

“Social media changes everything. Marketing, sales, customer service – they’re no longer departments. Engagement is now a way of business.”

So says Brian Solis (@briansolis), social media luminary and author of “Engage” and “The End of Business as Usual.”

It’s no secret that social media has become a game-changing influence on customer-facing business functions. The immediacy and transparency of social business requires a whole new level of flexibility and responsiveness from marketing and sales. But along with that shift, organizations are feeling an associated pull to integrate social tools and processes into other business functions, as well.

This is both a tremendous challenge and opportunity — with potential to transform every aspect of business life. So naturally, there are profound implications for Human Resources. But as TalentCulture‘s Meghan M. Biro noted in a recent Forbes.com post (5 Ways to Rockstar HR Leadership), common sense can be a powerful guiding principle — especially when innovation is in the air.

This shift isn’t just about socializing HR operations with new technology. At a deeper level, it’s about the cultural shift that HR can choose to model and champion for others. When disruption is a way of business life, resiliency is its closest ally. Therefore, as change becomes the only constant, HR leaders can play a critical role in moving their organizations toward more adaptive, agile cultural norms.

Talent 2.0 — No Turning Back

This was the focus of yesterday’s #TChat discussion “HR Rockstars – Moving at the Speed of Business,” prompting 340 contributors to step into the spotlight and breathe life into the agenda with a nonstop stream of ideas that echoed across Twitter. In only one hour, 2,100 tweets generated 11.7 million impressions. That loud collective voice, scrolling by at breakneck speed, is a living example of social HR rock stars in action!

The hour was marked with many high notes — most of which are captured in the Storify slideshow at the end of this post (see below). So, rather than trying to recap overall sentiment, the smartest way to honor the session might simply be to get out of the way, and let the highlights speak for themselves.

But before I step aside, I’d like to share several items that resonated with me:

“The speed of business is the speed of the slowest decision…” @IncentIntel

Implication: HR serves the larger organization — it does not control pace, flow or direction. However, it can influence those factors. This is where HR can add value, with proactive guidance.

“In a complex work environment, capacity to negotiate agreements & hold each other accountable is key. Speed can’t depend on hierarchy” @SusanMazza

Implication: By forging relationships based on mutual interests and trust, HR can create a framework that decentralizes decision-making, while minimizing friction and inertia.

“The best talent is not looking for work, but they’re social. Successful HR is networking to recruit talent.” @ValaAfshar

Implication: The strongest candidates are already working at the speed of business. HR must keep pace and catch them in that stream — or face the consequences of letting socially adept talent pass by.

“Create a vision with staying power.” @jesselynstoner

Implication: As illustrated in Jesse Lyn’s post about NASA’s Apollo project, “Where” is important, but “Why” is even more vital — especially in complex, uncertain, fast-moving environments.

The Road Ahead – Are We There Yet?

With so many thoughtful, relevant ideas about how to move HR to the next level, I wonder: How many organizations have arrived or are even close to achieving a 2.0 vision? And how long will it take before it becomes a reality for the rest of us?

Let’s Keep the Conversation Alive! If you joined last night’s forum, which ideas were most meaningful for you? How will you apply them? Please tell us! Add comments below — or if you blog about it let us know by posting a Twitter link with the #TChat hashtag. We’d like to share your ideas with the TalentCulture community here and via @TalentCulture.

Coming Up on #TChat

Join us next week (Wednesday at 7pmET/4pmPT), as we dive more deeply into the concept of Employee Engagement. Look for a full preview next Monday via @TalentCulture and #TChat. Thanks again for your interest and your contributions!

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/tchat-insights-hr-rock-stars-and-business-speed.js?template=slideshow”]

#TChat INSIGHTS: HR Rock Stars on Business Speed

Storified by TalentCulture · Wed, Oct 10 2012 20:45:18

TONIGHT! #TChat is jammin at 7pmET. Grab a front-row seat for “#HR Moving Speed of Biz” Qs https://talentculture.wpengine.com/culture/tchat-preview-hr-rock-stars-business-speed/ http://pic.twitter.com/4eXcQoDa @kkruseSocialMediaSean
Lights, headphones, #TChat. http://pic.twitter.com/ajcgWjwvjocelynaucoin
BOOM! >> Q1: What exactly is the “speed of business” Why do we penalize HR for not moving at it? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A1 In a lot of corps, HR responds to shortages rather than proactively identifying potential shortcomings.So, slower. #TChatJanis Stacy
A1: Sometimes the speed of business must be tempered, esp when the tools haven’t caught up to the concepts. #tchatSalary School
A1: HR is often an afterthought when key decisions are made #tchatAlli Polin
A1: HR not seen as an asset looked at as overhead and treated accordingly, not kept informed or asked for input. #TChatRobert Rojo
A1. Doesn’t this all boil down to HR getting a ring seat when decisions are made? #tchatTerri Klass
A1 – hr needs to push out admin to the fringes to focus on the core needs of the org… that will increase response/speed #tchatPaul Hebert
@gingerconsult A1: Are HR pegged as being behind the times because they are? or because its perceived? <== BOTH IMO! #tchatCASUDI
A1. Sometimes HR hears about things much later than the rest of the organization. Problem with that. #tchatTerri Klass
A1: Shipping versions avoids news to wait for perfection…which never happens anyway. The business wants that. #tchatBill Cushard
A1 So, what drives HR? Innovation – compliance? Enlighten me… #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A1 Perhaps it’s a perspectives thing. Business focuses on meeting customer needs and HR focuses on the corp itself. #TChatJanis Stacy
A1: HR needs to think more like software developers and product mgrs…and ship services in versions… #tchatBill Cushard
A1: Must blame someone for reason our business is not moving as fast as we say it is. #HR good target #TChatSean Charles
A1: The customer (biz) determines the speed and HR has to understand & adjust. Innovation is an HR competency! #tchatLaTonya Wilkins
A1:How fast the processes are executed, some of which we have no control or say in. #TChatRobert Rojo
#Leaders – Tough to escape? @MRGottschalk: A1 Is it the speed of innovation? What sets the speed? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A1: HR is often too busy w/admin to focus on #innovation or business change #tchatAlli Polin
A1 – most decisions in business are made on front lines – HR is back at field HQ – can’t keep up if not in the fray no? #tchatPaul Hebert
A1: The speed of business oughtta be the speed of humans, and nothing else. #TChatBrent Skinner
A1. “Speed of Business” the rate at which human potential converts into performance/profit. Orgs focus on outcome before input (HR). #tchatSalima Nathoo
A1: If you don’t move fast enough, you end up like MySpace or AltaVista and you don’t even know what hit you. #tchatBill Cushard
A1. Not sure about penalizing HR, BUT business must keep pace w/market & support systems must keep stride. #tchatSheree Van Vreede
A1 Is it the speed of innovation? What sets the speed? #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
Love! And Welcome Ian! @ianclive: A1 Speed of business is illusion – HR has to keep relevant and on time! #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A1 – confusing activity with productivity – speed with responsiveness? #tchatPaul Hebert
A1. HR has to reconsider a lot of things when change occurs: compensation, career paths, job descriptions, culture, etc – its a lot #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A1. Trying to keep up with all the constant changes but HR can get bogged down in legal junk. #tchatTerri Klass
A1 Speed of business is illusion – HR has to keep relevant and on time! #TChatIan Welsh
A1: speed skills. #tchatBill Cushard
A1: In the past, HR has been too focused on compliance & therefore didn’t move “at the speed of business.” #tchatBob Lehto
A1: The speed of biz is the speed of tech, but why must it be? Would ppl mgmt be better moving @ speed of humans? #tchatBrent Skinner
#TChat – A1 – Speed of your business can be defined by your client/customer needs. In today’s market, you had better be fast.Michael!
A1..the “speed of business” is knowing that if you slow down, competitors behind you will quickly pass you!! #tchatTrevor Acedne
A1. HR might fall behind bc it’s one of the few depts that encompass EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. gotta wait for everyone to be on board #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A1. Speed that leaders say is needed to support a competitive strategy. HR is rightfully cautious on human commitments. #tchatThinkCEO
A1: Business moves based on a 1000 decisions a day & HR not always kept in the loop until it’s radical change #tchatAlli Polin
A1: To be agile with the market — but, someone’s gotta help watch those messy, pesky humans. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A1: hr (i think) is oushing hard to move butoften lacks a seat at the table with CXO to get momentum #tchatJen PhillipsKirkwood
A1: Moving ahead of the pack, yet HR gets pegged as being antiquated and behind the times #tchatJen Olney
A1 – speed of business is the speed of the slowest decision – for HR that means many slower depts. impede HR #tchatPaul Hebert
A1: “Speed of business” is instant today. #HR often gets penalized because it’s often a culture of compliance + transactions. #TChatAndrew Henck
A1: Speed of business for HR is “adoption AFTER industry wide verification” (& for good reason). They’ll never be Buzz Lightyear. #tchatKeith Punches
A1) isn’t that code for “doing more with less” after a round of downsizing? #tchatRich Grant
>> Q2: “If it wasn’t for those pesky humans”: Why do we need HR to regulate ourselves? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A2: “Who” says we need #HR to regulate ourselves? Think about that for a minute. #TChatBrent Skinner
A2: Like the idea in theory, in practice HR would need more power/responsibility in certain inds 2 meet the compliance dept halfway #tchatSunny Shao
I’ve seen HR override mgrs. Haven’t you? MT @shawnlacroix A2 I dislike idea of HR as police/regulators. Ultimately action is from mgr #TChatExpertus
A2: We don’t need #HR to regulate ourselves; we need it to facilitate our “selves.” #TChatBrent Skinner
A2. Maybe HR needs to lead with presence and humanity. The regulations will follow and protect. #tchatTerri Klass
A2: In entrepreneurial companies, don’t have formal HR. Try to lead with good practices, build culture, keep some consistency. #TChatJon M
A2 – is HR in a codependent relationship with management – allowing them to NOT do their job with their employees? #tchatPaul Hebert
A2. HR changes the speed of business execution to the speed of business effectiveness. #tchatThinkCEO
A2 I dislike the idea that HR is the police or regulators. Ultimately any action comes from the manager Employees don’t work for hr #tchatShawn LaCroix
A2. HR helps protect employees from themselves and others. HR helps protect the business from themselves and hot-messed employees #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A2 HR is needed to regulate as
management will not regulate themselves – a worsening situation! #TChatIan Welsh
A2: HR too often is the voice of reason when biz forgets that the bottom line is people impact #tchatAlli Polin
A2: I think a fear of risk & trend toward #mgmt “taking things off the plate”—once functions are moved, there’s a disconnect. #TChat #HRShawna Kelly
A2: Self-Discipline is not effectively taught in the workplace therefore we must manage it #TChatSean Charles
A2: HR keep the chaos to a minimum and brings process to the workplace #tchatJen Olney
A2. HR establishes the guidelines that keep us from overstepping the line. We’re only human, we make mistakes. #TChatGabrielle Kur
A2 Good point about #HR bringing the “consistency” ingredient (missed who tweeted this?) #tchatCASUDI
A2. Sometimes these regulations help create a foundation to build an innovative workforce for the future. #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A2 HR have to be the fastest thinkers in a reactive crisis driven environment! As fast as anyone else #TChatIan Welsh
A2: Do we? HR should be measured on employee relations results. More engaged employees=fewer issues. Freedom & seat at table are key #tchatLaTonya Wilkins
A2 HR role should enable not regulate #tchatMorag Barrett
A2: We need an effective people function that we can align ourselves to (culture/values/mission). #TChatAndrew Henck
A2. HR is a special brand of leadership and we need it to regulate business to stay human in practice not on paper. #tchatSalima Nathoo
A2: Hey, it would be great if “HR” could stay focused on attraction, recruiting, hiring, developing and retaining, right? #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A2: HR is often order among chaos! #tchatKiara Robinson
A2: Without the human, wouldn’t HR just be IT? #TChatJanis Stacy
A2. HR helps limit workplace chaos and helps ensure we have a consistent answer when we’re questioned why we do certain things #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A2: Que The Human League “I’m only human. Of flesh and blood i’m made. Born to make mistakes” #tchatKeith Punches
A2. Honestly- somedays I feel like it’s too regulated but i know that it is this way to ensure everything is fair #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A2 – lousy managers – lousy training, no accountability #tchatPaul Hebert
A2: The muscles between non-HR brains, mouths and fingertips are usually fast-twitch. HR..slow twitch. #tchatKeith Punches
A2. (HR knows that) not everything that can be counted matters, & not everything that matters can be counted. Einstein #tchatThinkCEO
Q3 How can leadership (including HR) help reduce need to self-regulate & create cultures of trust & productivity? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A3: Hiring, being cognizant about what kinds of people & actions you want in that trusting enviro—then build/remodel accordingly. #TChat #HRShawna Kelly
A3: Have expectations and hold people accountable! #tchatRob McGahen
A3: We need thermostats to efficiently control our energy/heat, do you think Human behavior is easier and may not need regulation? #TChatJanis Stacy
A3: in complex wk envirnmnt capacity to negotiate agreements and hold each other accountable is key – speed cant depend on hierarchy #tchatSusan Mazza
A3: Regulate not too much, not too little, smartly & not myopically. Then, trust the free people market. #tchatBrent Skinner
A3: Lead by example, hold everyone accountable and reward excellence. Be an encourager. #TchatLori~TranslationLady
A3. we’re all adults in the workforce (mostly)- lay down the expectations and let people rise to the occasion- they may WOW you #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A3: If your people function wants to trust your folks, let them run w/ that bold idea and take a risk. #TChatAndrew Henck
A3: By respecting each individual’s ability to be productive and re-inforcing expectations positively. #tchat #HRTess C. Taylor, PHR
A3: Empower employees to take personal accountability for successes & failures of their team #TChatSean Charles
A3. Publicly align & include HR in strategy initiatives; show the value people play in growth. #tchatThinkCEO
A3: Let the front lines lead too! Everyone plays a part & needs to be accountable #tchatAlli Polin
A3. In a way, don’t we all need a model to look to for an example of what to do/not to do? #tchatGabrielle Kur
#Tchat A3: develop strong practices for #accountability and a culture that facilitates people holding each other accountableSusan Mazza
A3: We **still** need to find ways to measure data and stay human as leaders #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A3. HR needs to be *consistently* taken seriously as a business partner that impacts the bottom line in a positive way. #tchatSalima Nathoo
A3. by giving people the resources, mentoring, feedback, and space to prove their trustworthiness and productivity #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A3 put ownership of employee issues/decisions on managers. Lead with integrity. #tchatShawn LaCroix
A3 leaders have to start by trusting the employees and themselves to always make the best decisions on their own (walk the talk) #TChatDonna Rogers, SPHR
A3: Throw out the time clock. Ask your people how they work best. Adapt + empower. #TChatAndrew Henck
A3: Social skills and impulse control development from early education on. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A3 HR professionals should be allowed to show and use their facilitation skills, instead of regulatory. #TChatMelissa Lamson
A3: Being accessible, guiding without dictating – people will rise to meet the expectations of them #tchatAlli Polin
A3. Through consistent, clear, and honest COMMUNICATION across all levels and channels of the organization. #TChat #HR #SocialBusinessSamantha Sallovitz
Bam! @marksalke: A3: By placing trust in empowered people & trusting them to do right thing. People in appropriate roles will excel. #tchatSean Charles
A3: Reward leaders for good people management practices (retention, succession, engagement, etc.) #tchatLaTonya Wilkins
A3: We always need to “self regulate”. Better question(?) “how do we help employees increase their emotional maturity” #tchatKeith Punches
A3 Hire RIGHT in first place with people/individuals that fit & can contribute to culture long term. #tchatCASUDI
A3: By placing trust in empowered people and trusting them to do the right thing. People in appropriate roles will excel. #tchatMark Salke
Model trust by trusting and treating employees like the adults they are. Lead by example. #duh A3 #TChatJocelyn Aucoin
A3. Leadership needs to create a culture of accountability and concern for one another. #tchatTerri Klass
A3: Bold #leadership that is forward thinking and knows they hired people for a reason, equipping them for success. #TChatAndrew Henck
A3: Psychological and workplace simulation screening. What? Don’t look at me that way. #tchatKevin W. Grossman
A3. Is HR considered leadership? #tchatSheree Van Vreede
A3: By setting up guidelines and giving mgrs tools to be effective, HR can facilitate efficient business. #tchatSalary School
A3 – reinforce those doing it right – get rid of those not – pretty simple. Assumes co’s think ppl mgtmnt is a core mgr skill #tchatPaul Hebert
Q4: What metrics should leadership (including HR) focus on to move at the speed of business & why? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A4 Biometrics – Happy and healthy staff will row the company better than sad, frustrated people. #tchatEnzo Guardino
A4: Sorry, but I think most employees don’t trust HR metric input, so I don’t know how relevant those metrics are. #TChatJanis Stacy
A4- and cros
s aggregate co data with other biz market intelligence to predict trends and proactively change direction of co vision #tchatJen PhillipsKirkwood
A4 Dispute resolution, grievances, litigation, satisfaction data #TChatIan Welsh
A4: Use same business levers and translate to fit HR; apply metrics that are quantifiable and not “HR centric.” #tchatLaTonya Wilkins
A4: The data proves out the results seen in the bottom line that the leadership brings in the intangibles they bring to the table #tchatJen Olney
A4: Whatever is needed in your industry to grow profits and customer satisfaction. #tchatRob McGahen
A4. HR metrics have to tie/translate to EBITDA growth; plenty companies have gone under w/happy employees. #tchatThinkCEO
A4 Cost per lost employee – #TChatMarla Gottschalk PhD
A4 Bottom line(?) resulting from up-tic employees v employee turnover(?) from down-tic employees #tchatCASUDI
A4: When was the last “town hall/office hours” with your CEO? Folks in agile orgs believe in the CEO’s vision + move with them. #TChatAndrew Henck
A4.There’s often an over-dependence by leadership on metrics.Data can be misconstrued+attitude,integrity+commitment are hard2measure #tchatRichard Brody
@brentskinner A4: IMO engagement surveys tell the story but not why the results are the way they are. How do you dig deeper? #tchatAmanda Sterling
A4: Cost per hire, retention, profit per employee #TChatSean Charles
A4 – Retention and increased revenues are key indicators of moving at the speed of business. #tchat #hrTess C. Taylor, PHR
A4: Is there a glimmer of excitement and engagement in the eyes of your team members? An eye test of leadership. #TChatJon M
A4 Creating the conditions for flexible work structures & agile business processes are critical, too! #TCHatMelissa Lamson
A4 – as a manager my only concern was were my staff getting promoted, better or leaving (sometimes that is the best thing) #tchatPaul Hebert
@AlliPolin @MeghanMBiro A4: like your point about staying AND thriving no point having dead weight #tchatAmanda Sterling
A4. Employee engagement surveys, Turnover, growth, retention, succession bench strength, talent costs #tchatJen PhillipsKirkwood
A4. Turnover stats are critical and is there a culture of happiness and growth. #tchatTerri Klass
A4: Metrics that help optimize structure and control organization costs, while maximizing productivity =good for HR #tchatSalary School
A4: Engagement metrics prob tell a big story. If they’re down, maybe you’re moving too fast for your talent engage. #tchatBrent Skinner
A4: employee engagement for starters + track new ideas created/submitted by employees. If # is high, they’re on board. #tchatTony Vengrove
A4: Pockets of vol & invol turn over tell a story that matters to the #culture and people #tchatAlli Polin
A4: Another question for your people function: “How supportive were folks w/ the last change initiative?” #TChatAndrew Henck
A4 #Globalexpansion & #global image should be assessed & measured. What are people saying about you around the world? #TChatMelissa Lamson
A4: Retention, years of service and recruitment data are key performance indicators for leadership for HR to review #tchatJen Olney
@KeithPunches A4. How about measuring employee capability progress – e.g. newbie >> rockstar? #tchatBob Lehto
A4: Top line revenue, profit/loss, accounts receivable/payable, cash on hand #TChatSean Charles
A4: Focus on the key performance indicators for your company! Happy employees and happy customers doesn’t hurt either. #tchatKiara Robinson
A4: Although there are tangible items, the intangibles matter, like how engage ppl are & level of innovation happening. #TChatJon M
A4. Retention * Productivity / EBITDA = 1 Big Happy Family #tchatThinkCEO
A4. Progression and performance metrics- we want to retain quality talent- how are we ensuring that they aren’t outgrowing us? #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A4: Recruiting AND Retention data! Are your employees *staying* and thriving? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A4 profit, growth and leaders/experts developed/ promoted and/or lost/turned. Cost of bad hire. #tchatShawn LaCroix
A4. All about value creation ultimately, so revenue/employee? #tchatBob Lehto
A4: Skills, competencies … who has them, where are they, how does it match w/future demand #tchatAlli Polin
A4 whatever metrics that are important in that industry – business must partner head to head with HR and vice versa. #TChatDonna Rogers, SPHR
A4: Retention, attrition, average years of service. These will show pockets where HR growth needs to happen. #tchatKeith Punches
A4 – whatever the companies metrics for success are… #tchatPaul Hebert
A4: Metric questions for your people function: What’s your turnover like? When was your last hire? How engaged are your folks? #TChatAndrew Henck
A4. when HR/Leaders hire someone, they should be forward thinking. How could this employee develop and progress in the co? #hiresmart #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A4. Less metrics, please! #tchatSheree Van Vreede
A4. I think a lot that HR should consider should come straight from the employees- they make the business #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
Q5: Tech only moves @ the speed of biz if humans do too, so what kind of tech helps us meet in the middle? #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A5. Keep it simple, and keep it human. #tchatBob Lehto
A5: You have to give your people something they can actually use effectively, some are just to intimidated by the hi tech tools! #TChatRobert Rojo
@MeghanMBiro A5: Unified Communications including view of availability of SMEs, vdi, collaboration #TchatHope
A5. tech is awesome and efficient but there needs to be some HUMAN to it. otherwise #hrtech will automate us all out of HR jobs :) #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
@TranslationLady A5: Best when it’s a mix of old school and tech. Makes HR uhh, Human and Relating hehe. #TChatJanis Stacy
A5: Lo-tech should be the new hi-tech #tchatJen Olney
A5.the last thing you want to do is frustrate your employees with tech they don’t understand or don’t know how using it benefits them #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A5: Information + connections + collaboration = low cost/free learning. #tchatAmanda Sterling
A5: Email reminders for weekly “TalkWalk”—write 3 ?s needing deep thought—then get colleagues away from desks to walk/think together. #TChatShawna Kelly
A5: Focus on tools that invite collaboration, align with business goals and met the needs of the teams. Productivity shd be forefront #tchatJen Olney
A5: @JanisSpirit Great to use what is effective Old School combined with New School = GREAT! #TChatLori~TranslationLady
A5 tools that represent your brand well to internal/external clients. #tchatShawn LaCroix
A5: The right tech fits the org culture but should increase collaboration & real-time info #tchatAlli Polin
A5: A good ol’ fashioned face-to-face hallway conversation that solves a problem or sparks an idea. #TChatJon M
A5. tools that are relevant to the business, the mission, aligned with HR goals, and is user friendly for all people in the biz #tchatAshley Lauren Perez
A5 – telephone #tchatPaul Hebert
A5: Tools that are work with the needs of the business not for the sake of being the latest and greatest fad #tchatJen Olney
A5: Socialize your expectations of the value to be realized from social technology and engagement #TChatMeghan M. Biro
A5 Tech can move faster than anyone to handle a crisis and slower than HR working on a project #TChatIan Welsh
A5: Technology that connects people to customers, to ea
ch other, and to the business. Aligned, efficient, productive…. #TChatJon M
A5. The best tech is low tech: talk to people & listen. That’ll get you moving faster than any spreadsheet or report. #tchatThinkCEO
A5. Social tech because conversation and collective intelligence is the ultimate platform for workplace communication. #tchatSalima Nathoo
A5 Implement the tech that fits the employee focus/needs ~ be flex it changes:-) #tchatCASUDI
A5: Old school tech might help for a start. Business lunches or coffee with employees maybe? #TChatJanis Stacy
A5: Good judgment for balancing tech/people to meet your needs is invaluable. #TChatAndrew Henck
A5 Siri #tchat #lolShawn LaCroix
A5: In order for technology to move @ the speed of business, it must honor the human element #tchat #hrtechTess C. Taylor, PHR

Exploring the Heart of Social Media Careers: #TChat Preview & Recap

There are thousands of them: Strategists, Specialists, Editors, Coordinators, Contributors, Community Managers. And that’s just in California. When you search for “social media jobs” on Indeed, for example, there are nearly 6,000 related jobs that come up. I have no idea what it would’ve been like just five years ago, but I’m sure it was only a fraction of that.

All things social have permeated the enterprise, as well as small to mid-size business. Both B2C and B2B companies, non-profits and government agencies alike are creating social media careers.

What’s really driving it all? Social recruiting and social marketing – sourcing applicants and sourcing buyers. Since the meteoric growth of social network populations, it behooves companies to source “leads” from these populations. Early adoption is over and we’ve headed right into the heart of mainstream social.

But there’s also a newer third wheel to this social media hubbub. It’s customer service community management. The democratization of the consumer’s voice has created more transparency than companies had planned on. And because they no longer control the message (how many times have you heard that in the past few years?), the buyer controls them.

In fact, some companies have gotten better at social customer service than their traditional channels. For example, last year I needed to cancel an online subscription to Adobe. I tried doing it online, emailing them and calling them, but to no avail. At the point of being livid with frustration, I went on twitter and tweeted from the rooftops for them to cancel my subscription. Within hours it was taken care of by one of their “community managers.” Amazing and fascinating at the same time. I’m sure you’ve read dozens of similar sentiments.

And now we’re seeing employment brand community managers around social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others as well as HR/recruiting technology vendor community managers. These are talent/lead acquisition relationship builders first, sourcers and salespeople second.

Yep, headed right into the heart of mainstream social and not a moment too soon. Get your social skills on everyone!

Join us tomorrow night on #TChat, November 30, from 7-8 pm ET (4-5 pm PT), when we’ll take a closer look at social media careers today.  @MeghanMBiro will moderate and here are the questions we’ll cover.

(EDITORIAL NOTE: To see highlights from the chat event, see the Storify Slideshow at the end of this post. Thanks!)

Q1: When you hear “social media careers” what do you think of?

Q2: What are the primary skills that make for savvy social media careers?

Q3: Companies are hiring social media everything, but what’s the best way to source and screen these applicants?

Q4: Do HR/recruiting departments need social media managers to help with employment brand? Why or why not?

Q5: Social media careers have to be community-centric and constantly engaging. Why?

Q6: What businesses/industries have the best social media managers? The worst?

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