Peer-to-Peter Communications: Effectively Using Internal Social Media

In the traditional world of Internal Communications, we’ve always focused on one thing - drive yearly business goals through effective executive communications. This started with memos and presentations decades ago, then we added in videos once production costs decreased.

With the introduction of the World Wide Web and email, we saw a new distribution method. Our memos, pictures, presentations and video were simply served up via an Intranet. It was great because we got the message out quicker and cheaper. With that said, Push Communications never really changed. We still focused on driving yearly business goals and executive messaging, just through a different channel.

When Social Media was added to our arsenal of tools, many tried to duplicate the same thing by seeing it as another Push Communications channel. For the most part, this methodology failed. Users saw it as “one more thing to check” and many times the communications there were the same that was emailed and posted to the home page of the Internet.

Internal Social Media sings when you use it for Peer-to-Peer Communications. This is when employees with a specific job responsibility reach out to similar functions for advice and help. Since the globalization of the workforce, this is even more key. One of the most effective ways I saw Internal Social Media used was with Maintenance Techs. These guys were remote workers across the country and didn’t have laptops. All they had were iPhones. When they’d run into a particular challenging install or repair, they’d hop on the Maintenance Group in their Internal Social Media to post a picture and ask questions of their peers. Within an hour, someone would suggest a solution or better yet, know the answer because they had a similar problem. The exciting thing is these guys weren’t technophiles but they embraced the tool because it made their job easier. Internal Social Media works best when you consider it a collaboration tool or self-help tool. Make it a resource instead of “one more thing to check.”

Both Millennials and Generation Y gravitate towards Peer-to-Peer Communications. They’ll start with an Intranet search to get their answer and if they can’t find it there, they’ll post their question to social media. This is the world they live in and grew up in. It’s natural. They see no difference between how they communicate in the outside world vs. the business world.

Internal Social Media works best when you consider it a collaboration tool or self-help tool. Make it a resource instead of “one more thing to check.”

One of the best things you can do with your Internal Social Media is set up Groups and General Users for your employee base to ask questions and share information. Consider a First Level IT Support Group, a Sales Group to share successful ideas (and not so successful), an Operations Group to share “watch-outs), or a Marketing Group for brainstorming. The ideas are endless. Work with your First-Movers to kick off a few ideas and after celebrating their successes, watch it take off. You’ll have to have Subject Matter Experts monitoring the group to make sure the right answers are given but over time you’ll find that employees love sharing ideas and advice. It’s how we’re wired as humans.

In the meantime, don’t forget about your Push Communications. They have a critical role, too, and vehicles like email and the Intranet are still the best was to get your Executive Communications out.

Wal Ozello, The Wizard and President of Emerald City Agency, is a life-long storyteller with more than twenty-five years of experience in Communications and Marketing. His expertise is informing and motivating both internal and external audiences to believe and act. Need to speak with The Wizard?  Email him: oz@emeraldcityagency.com