I am on facebook because of my Goddaughter. This was her social medium, but we felt compelled to understand life on her terms. Now, it is our social medium. Mid-late Gen Xers and Boomers are active participants and they are not just monitoring their kids. With multi-generational participation, social media can increase employee engagement, collaboration and bridge generations in the workplace. Sounds lofty, huh?
To debunk the myth that late GenX/BB are not participating, I was very excited to read Chris O’Brien’s article on MercuryNews.com Older Generations Adopting New Technologies because it validates what I see. The professionals I know are participating. I am a member of a local Sales and Marketing group whose objectives include learning and applying social media to our respective careers. The idea generation is significant; the light bulb isn’t just flickering with the occasional AHA! moment, it is a steady state of light and vision. We see ways to market, manage and monetize.
There have been enough studies about the differences in generations and their work habits. In particular, most Gen Y that I have worked with or managed, are hard working and responsible. Finesse, politics and filtering are coachable issues; raw talent and desire are not. Social media and new technologies can be the means to develop commonality, increase mutual respect and interest.
Allow for cross training, younger employees can become the teachers in this media and older workers will benefit from the learning. Equally important, younger workers will get the chance to lead. With the benefit of experience and leadership, older workers can share new ways to apply the technology to business. GenX/BB have the benefit of been there, done that and most will see the potential of the media they learn.
Social media creates communities, allows for collaboration, real time messaging, brainstorming, best practices, and problem resolution through collective input. For companies, it allows for employee engagement. If you have the resources, create your own internal social medium or find the right public medium that is best for your business needs, but allows for levels of privacy, etc.
In and of itself, social media will provide commonality. It will also provide a mechanism for building trust because of the inherent intimacy of social media. Through trust, you can collaborate. I may be describing an ideal state, but nonetheless, the potential exists and the ROI for companies will be tangible.
How are you using social media in your business?
For additional reading, here is a great interview with Peter Williams, CEO of Deloitte Digital on social networking and business.
Interview with Peter Williams, CEO of Deloitte Digital
