Learning Log 4 - Part 1

Social media tools platform

This week we explored the use of social media tools platforms and how they can connect employees, allow collaboration, identify new talent, generate new ideas, share best practices, etc. To be successful in the business world, companies need social media tools to be successful. Social media has played a big role in Human resources. Now 69 percent of HR departments now use social media channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to assist with the recruitment process (Bennett, 2013). Companies can use the networking site, LinkedIn to post positions. This process makes it easier for the company to get the notice out to the public when jobs become available and for candidates to apply for those open jobs. Companies are also seeing more success using social media to recruit new employees as they can browse the social media sites of potential candidates to determine if he or she will fit in with the company culture (Vassalo, 2015). Companies are even using social media to communicate with employees. Some companies will talk to employees on Twitter to discuss company events so the public can learn about them. Other companies use messaging apps such as Google Hangouts to talk with employees in one location or all over the world.

Building relationships is everything in HR, and there's no better way to do that than using social media. Social recruiting has given HR a leg up in the war for talent. By having more than 2,000 direct connections on LinkedIn and more than 17 million second and third connections, social recruiting power has kicked into overdrive (Lester, 2012). A software called Bullhorn Reach, allows you to post jobs to eight different social networks simultaneously. The tool also allows you to analyze metrics that measure the efficacy of your social recruiting efforts. Internal platforms connect employees and evolve as an internal collaboration space for new idea, spotting talent, solving problems, and generating new ideas (Ulrich, 2012). HR professionals are not only using social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for social recruiting. Enterprise social tools like Chatter, Yammer and Tibbr help businesses tap into the wisdom of every employee (Lester, 2012).  With enterprise social software it is now easier to find and share information. It streamlines work and leverages the wisdom, intelligence and knowledge of the whole organization.

References:

Ulrich, D., W., Younger, J., Brockbank, & Ulrich,M . (2012). HR from the outside in: Six competencies for the future of human resources.

This textbook discusses the six paradoxes of HR. It explains how HR should be run to deliver the best business outcome.

Bennett, S. (2013, October 28). How does HR use Social Media? Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://www.adweek.com/digital/hr-social-media/

This article talks about what HR uses social media for the most. The top five tasks are for teambuilding, onboarding, training, employee communications, and recruiting.

Vassallo, J. (2015, September 26). Social Media's Impact on the Human Resources Industry. Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/social-medias-impact-on-the-human-resources-industry-01338454

This articles discusses how social media impacts the human resources role and daily activities.

Lester, A. (2012, October). HR puts social media to work through social recruiting. Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://searchfinancialapplications.techtarget.com/feature/HR-puts-social-media-to-work-through-social-recruiting

This article explains how social media benefits and makes the life of a HR professional easier compared to what it was like a decade ago.