Some companies are comfortable adopting social media in the 2.0 environment. But the business cultures of some are still frightened by the idea of adopting 2.0 applications. Here's an "inside report", with information which you might find helpful...
Companies are still shy about using social platforms in the field of their core business, and with their employees. But nobody can ignore the generation Y, because of its potential and in the way they're now building the new levels of business infrastructure, behaviors, renewal of old process, reshaping our habits.
But important companies, world-wide are still slow to adopt. They seem to be hypnotized, sometimes by surprise, but by the fear and threat they seem to feel too. Fear? Yes, for sure. The battle for information has been taking place now for several years, and has produced some rude wars. Audience, through user generated content (UGC),can make the fire bigger, and that's why, there's an inside, invisible and covering curse, that is named "ability to express yourself without any control", facilitated by 2.0 tools and practices. Mistrust comes with the territory and enemies of social web are spreading new rules to slow use of it. For example, setting control panels for users, but instead of controlling users, trying to control content. An endless quest, far from reach, and difficult to achieve. Companies often make mistakes, are wrong about the target: controlling why not, if control makes higher quality of contents, participation and moderation; but if the aim is controlling contents, all of it, from reading to forbid using, it's not why I call "a progress, exploiting all potential". They might have lots of give up in jobs, in the genY rows...Because, they're born in, native, with it, by it. Traditional management don't know how to manage genY without such behaviors and work inhabits. And genY don't have management included in their no-boundaries and unlimited visions.
We can say social web facilitates spreading ego behaviors and self promotion, but why should that be bad, according the fact that you work for a company, which could exploit, serve its interests, by using your personal shining success, mixing it with its own brand...Be sure some do it. Why gen Y couldn't use social web (Facebook, LinkedIn...) as they use their mobile - personal stuff btw -, at the office? Will we see any cross-over benefitis here?
But there're really some obvious advantages, pros for social apps. According to McKinsey 's last survey "building the web 2.0″ and others, we can underline 4 among them, probably more to follow...
1) Inside communication, by the fact that is facilitated, speeded, with IM, micro-blogging and so long
2) Companies events, organisation, subscriptions management and the ability to react live, comment and make the events more alive and real time
3) Training and coaching, ability to follow more efficiency employees and executives, in their career, wish and next steps of progression; some bad advisors may see another "big brother" in there, maybe, maybe not...a risk to remind
4) Innovation and change management, ability to move quickly; immobile corps are dead and social apps can make you go faster and a step ahead, before competitors
So, we have talked about controlling yes, but controlling users, some identified users with potential, treating them as stars, leveraging their work, facilitating communication, can get you on the highest step of the wall. And become the star of Gen Y, a company where youngest like to work in, a innovating brand, forecasting the future, leading markets.
I know it's really difficult not to control brand, valuation and goodwill of a company, but I'm afraid it's quite now really impossible in the facts: that's why, set your efforts on moderators, opinion leaders and not on what they write/say. Add them on levels of strategy, they're the most adequate way to buzz and take the information to the highest leverages levels to consumers and stocks markets. Communication is a hard job but let's jump from public relations to public relationship, warmer and more friendly. And be sure the most thing to avoid: block, forbid using of it will drive to internal revolution, bad notoriety and something like rejection of brand...
If you like to gear up, read this funny guide...funny, but real. Don't forget.