I recently did a guest post for Alexia Vernon's blog about corporate leadership. It might make you think I have officially become one of Twitter's Generation Y minions. Well I haven't -- I still have plenty of critiques about the narcissistic culture we are all entering. However, as far as the workplace is concerned, I think we must all adjust to and embrace the tools Twitter and other social networking sites have to offer. Here is one perspective I offered for a corporate leadership audience:
Let Employees Twitter
When I log on to Twitter at work, I wonder whether I am doing something naughty or incredibly productive. That is the crux of the social networking/workplace conflict: While some workplaces scoff at or even block social networking sites, other organizations pressure and encourage workers to use social networking as a way to market the business brand. The latter group is onto something.
Social networking might take on new and better forms, but it isn’t going away. For many industries, social networking, such as the microblogging site Twitter, is the future of marketing. So it’s probably a good idea to let your employees get the hang of using them. The current form of social networking might feel slightly unprofessional at times, but that’s why social networking needs more corporate structure. Completely ignoring social networking now could cause problems for companies down the road.
Meanwhile, the workforce, from Generation Y on up through the Baby Boomers, is increasingly using social networking in their personal lives. Members of Generation Y have grown into adulthood comfortable with having both themselves and a digital projection of their identities. We go through our lives choosing just the right moments to convey digitally to the rest of the world. A workforce that includes the Millennial generation is going to have to include our digital personas too.
Posts
4 comments:
In most respects, I think blocking such social networking tools does as much harm as good. I'm not sure that I "buy" (no pun intended) the whole marketing your company to the world via twitter argument - but it's early yet.
But what about situations where that activity IS a negative? I'm not just talking about things like forwarding links to questionable materials...but things like twitter truly straddle the traditional line between who you are a person and who you are as an employee.
And who YOU are, is not always who your employer wants to be seen as...sometimes it literally is TMI.
Our new marketing director is reading your blog (hi Ty) for inspiration. He thinks you're onto something and I agree. Companies, even older established ones, are checking out "new media". Thanks Ellie.
@Nevin - I think that's a great point about the blurred line between who we are as a person and who we are as an employee. I am beginning to think that instead of people having a work life and a personal life, the distinction is having an offline life and an online life. I'm curious to see how it all evolves! Meanwhile, I constantly feel anxious about what exact digital persona I portray and how each person will take it. It's like being at a cocktail party with everyone from your co-workers to your parents listening to what you say at the same time.
Does anyone have good tips for this? If so, please send along!
@Beth Thanks for your comment and for introducing my blog to new readers:) Are you on Twitter yet?
Yes, this same young one introduced me to twitter! However, he hasn't had anything to tweet about lately!
Post a Comment