Biggest barriers: points of attention for effective use of online collaboration
Why do many organizations still stick to pilots and experiments, while we are incredibly active on social media 'outside the organization'? I distilled various problems from the 'Digital Workplace Trends 2012', which I will then convert into seven practical recommendations. By far the biggest challenge is the culture. According to McConnell, there is more of a network culture in 'Desk/Office' organizations than in so-called 'Floor/Field' organizations. In itself quite logical: in knowledge-intensive organizations there is a great need to find content experts.
1. Play on employee fears
Not every employee is used to sharing knowledge and discussing it openly. In fact, for most people this is all very new. Setting up a platform does not mean that everyone will suddenly do this. People are afraid that it could cost them their heads if they put something wrong on the intranet. Organizations that successfully roll out online collaboration pay attention to these feelings. With training courses, discussions and internal campaigns, explicit attention is paid to this.
2. Encourage the use of social media
I hear it regularly in interviews and focus groups: “I absolutely do not see the use of that Yammer [pronounced 'jammer'; FvR].” Unknown makes unloved. In McConnell's research you see that the pioneers stimulate employees to participate in external social media. In this way, they gain experience with the operation and the pleasure that you can continue to get from it. With campaigns, but also by displaying the online presence on external social media on the intranet profile. Think of links to the profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook and showing the messages, such as Twitter streams on the profile pages.
CenturyLink intranet profile page. An overview of RSS feeds of employee activities (with clear explanations) and links to external profiles (source: Intranet Design Annual 2012, Nielsen Norman Group).
McConnell's research shows that frontrunners pay more attention to group training and individual coaching of employees. Interestingly enough, the research asks about the level of training and support of those actively involved in the intranet (administrators, editors, etc.). In my opinion, the biggest challenge lies mainly in teaching and stimulating the 'normal' employees in the use of these new tools. Finally, the emphasis in the training among the organizations surveyed lies on the operation of the tools and less on the cultural aspects, attitude and behavior.
Extent to which respondents offer training and support to those actively involved in the brother cell phone list intranet (source: 'Digital Workplace Trends 2012 ')
4. Start with management
No matter how convinced and equipped employees are, as long as management does not believe in it, online collaboration will not get off the ground. One of the biggest problems among the respondents of the study: managers are afraid that they will no longer have control over the information flows within the organization. Strange, because they have not had that for years. In addition, there are still many managers who do not see the use and necessity of social tools. One of the respondents gives a great example:
“Latest comment from the board: 'What do these bloggers do as a day job?'
My answer: read their blog…”
Therefore, convince management of the added value of online collaboration. And work on renewed leadership, as Menno Lanting so beautifully puts it in his book Iedereen CEO . Trust plays a key role in this.
Special place for the management of Everything Everywhere. It gives a clear picture of how active the management is (source: Intranet Design Annual 2012, Nielsen Norman Group).