How to approach enterprise social software for hybrid work
Working to create an engaged workforce and a connected culture is certainly not an endemic trend of the hybrid work model that has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. But hybrid working makes the mission all the more important.
Working from home, even if it’s just a few days a week, can be isolating. Mixing and matching home and office work hours throughout the week can be challenging. Only seeing team members or other key employees while they work in a sparsely manned office can create a sense of disconnection from the organization as a whole. Used effectively, enterprise social software can reduce the impact of these and other hybrid work challenges by building community and encouraging employee engagement.
Companies that are serious about optimizing employee engagement should have enterprise social software on their shortlist of employee experience technologies to implement. Some IT leaders might be tempted to think, “We don’t need social software. For that, we have our intranet or our team chat app does the job.” And while it’s true that there is some overlap between these different types of tools, social software shines in its ability to engage all types of employees — from C-Suite -Employees to frontline workers – to bring together conversations on topics of common interest.
The opportunities to forge bonds and feelings of belonging are limitless when using social software, with the ability to create communities around interests and issues such as: B. Women in tech, single parents, Labradoodle lovers, and sci-fi enthusiasts. Employees are no longer just talking to their old team members, but are meeting and interacting with all sorts of new people across the organization.
Standalone vs. integrated social software
According to Metrigy’s global research study Employee Experience & Workplace Engagement: 2022-23 with 250 companies, social software is used by 45% of companies. Another 36.3% have social software on their roadmap for 2022 or 2023, making it one of the top three growth opportunities in employee experience technology. In addition, 13.5% of companies evaluate social software.
Social software is available as a standalone app or integrated as part of an employee experience platform. One of the latest integrated offerings comes from Microsoft, which launched Viva Engage, an app for its Viva Employee Experience Platform, in July. Microsoft’s long-established social software, Yammer, is now available as a web and mobile app. Other social features are available in platforms like LumApps and Meta’s Workplace, while MixR is an example of a standalone community building app.
An important aspect when evaluating social software is the integration into employees’ collaboration apps. For example, Viva Engage integrates with Microsoft Teams, as does Meta’s Workplace. This allows employees to stay in the apps they use for team chats and meetings to also engage in their communities of interest.
Management considerations for social communities
Aside from the technology itself, companies need to think about how lax or rigid they will be in monitoring and managing these community forums. On the one hand, for genuine engagement and connection with a company, employees should be able to build communities around topics that interest them and speak freely about what concerns them. On the other hand, many leaders believe they must ensure that employees adhere to company policies regarding behavior toward others.
The following key questions to ask before implementing enterprise social software are:
- Who can create and participate in communities? In Metrigy’s Employee Experience Study, 48.4% of companies said every employee can do both.
- Will we review ideas or let collaborators build communities at will? Just over 41% of companies put ideas through an approval process.
- After launch, will we monitor communities for compliance with company policies? Almost 56% of companies monitor community content.
About 40% of companies consider communities built with social software to be free forums. You have no corporate oversight. If that’s not a stance your company likes to adopt, then a light touch is advisable. Communities that encourage open and honest conversations not only foster engagement and create connections, but also help build trust—not just between employees, but with the company as a whole.