In the December 2012 issue of Talent Management magazine, there was a great article titled, “Social Media as Change Catalyst”.   Its premise is that organizational change can be enhanced by using social media tools.  What is interesting is that in a current project I am working on, I suggested this very thing, but received a lukewarm response.  Why not allow the super users the opportunity to post tips, tricks and key information to begin the conversation about these software enhancements?  Users can post questions, concerns and even their own tips to help everyone learn the new system and processes and quickly and efficiently as possible.

Choo, et al, suggest that social media can enhance change initiatives by:

• “Sharing experiences across a knowledge network
• Building a collaborative culture
•  Creating targeted and timely learning
• Improving employee engagement.”

It is no secret that employees are faced with a tremendous amount of change in their daily organizational life…new policies, software enhancements, job reductions and management changes all play a significant role in the amount of change and information an employee must take in.  Change is the “new normal” and with that comes creating a shared vision, gaining buy-in and learning the new product or process.  So it makes sense that connecting employees to be able to share experiences and learning will benefit everyone.  Furthermore, it will be easier for management to gauge how the change is being accepted and implemented in the employees’ daily lives.  Even more importantly, are the pitfalls or mishaps that need to be addressed immediately in order to continue to ensure the change takes hold.  Social media tools allow for “real-time exchange of ideas”.

The article suggests that management play a role in the dialogue, too.  Not only should management be active participants, they should be available to dispel incorrect information during the online exchange of ideas and experiences.  Management can also keep the messages focused.  It is no secret that learning needs to be more focused, targeted and learner-driven.  Social media allows those three things to happen by allowing employees to teach and/or get the specific information they are looking for quickly and easily.  Ultimately, social media tools help information to “flow in multiple directions” which alleviates the common issue of little or poor communication during a change initiative.

Read the full article.