Many companies have started to realise that a collaborative workforce is more productive and can deliver significant efficiencies.
A recent report from the McKinsey global institute of 4,200 companies reported that 72% were using some form of collaborative tool such as Slack, Chatter or Yammer.
In the latest Harvard Business Review, an in-depth look at how a large financial services firm was using their tool was undertaken. An A-B test found the group using the tool were 31% more likely to find co-worker expertise, and 88% more likely to help find who could connect them with an expert.
The report identifies 4 traps that organisations fail into with internal social networks:
1. Flawed millennial assumptions – millennials are initially uncomfortable about using social at work
2. Repressing informal communication – social tools at work are seen as “official” tools and often informal chat is frowned upon – when it can help build connections
3. Failure to recognise learning – time spent on these networks should be seen and rewarded as learning time
4. Focus on the wrong data – analytics from these tools may mask human behaviours. The research is spot on and well worth a deeper dive.
Rea the whole report here.
