3 Reasons Social Media Should Matter to HR

Social media isn’t solely a Millennial’s game anymore. 2014 recorded that the 50+ age group is the fastest growing demographic for online users. The Pew Research Center found that 72% of internet users ages 30-49 and 50% of ages 50-64 use social networking. This means that social media isn’t just a trend; it’s become an integral part of mainstream society. News, music and arts, sports, and companies all utilize social media on a daily basis because of its large-scale media outreach. So if your human resources department is organized to manage the social structure of the company, shouldn’t social media be made a top or (at least an available) resource? Here are 3 reasons to consider:

Recruitment

According to PwC’s global CEO Study, 66% of CEOs say that the absence of necessary skills is their biggest talent challenge. To address this problem, many companies are now evaluating candidates’ presence on popular social media networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) and other specialty sites specific to their professions such as open-source community forums. This approach to recruitment is being performed before and during the hiring process. Doing so will not only help evaluate potential candidates’ merits and contributions, but also supply an inside look into their online persona.

From the candidate’s position, utilizing the internet to find job postings has become the primary resource for employment opportunity. Job posting websites such as CareerBuilder and Indeed are not necessarily defined as social media in the traditional sense, but promoting those opportunities through media outlets with the company’s various social profiles will only assist in advertising the post.

Employee Engagement

Chances are not every employee in your company participates in social media at home regularly or even at all, but it can be assumed that virtually all possess the ability to participate and understand how these user friendly networks operate. With digital tools and programs on the rise, several companies have introduced their own internal social spheres. Yammer is becoming a great tool for large business to communicate internally on a social platform, making it simple for employees to find subject experts and solve business problems easily and efficiently. Businesses are also using Yammer to share ideas and have a space for employee comments on campaigns and other company highlights.

Brand Enhancement

Social media also plays an enormous role in company branding and marketing, whether your company is B2B or B2C, both types of customers look to social media to engage with business in many ways. Having a strong presence in these online communities is vital to the success of your business, because it allows for a less invasive way of communicating to occur with potential clients and thought leaders. Employees help to enhance that process by representing the company in an online venue. Positive ideas, comments, questions and answers from employees related to business goals reflect that brand in a popular social setting.

With social media extending into more areas of our daily lives, it’s not exactly surprising to see it start to fold into work life as well. Now it’s up to human resources to use these media outlets as a positive communication tool that enhances the relationship between employer and employee.