Social Media Butterfly

Would You Quit Your Job If You Couldn’t Access Facebook?

Posted by Nathania Johnson

If you’re reading this blog, the answer should be YES. Most people who read this blog do some form of social media for a living. If you can’t access Facebook, your company has a bad business model.

But for the rest of the working world, having access to Facebook and similar sites is increasingly becoming a desired benefit at the office. A recent survey has 39% of younger workers considering leaving their jobs if they lost access to the popular social networking site. And while some (mostly older generations) saying they should just grow up, I say it’s the companies that need to grow up.

First of all, all workers take breaks. Some drink coffee, some smoke, some gossip. And last time I checked, those three weren’t particularly great for health or a happy work environment (sometimes the coffee is necessary, I know. Ok, always. But large amounts of caffeine are not good for you.)

But I think blocking access Facebook sends a bigger signal to younger workers than simply not being able to access one site. It says “We don’t trust you,” or “Your duties to us are more important than the rest of your life.”

Companies that offer the best benefits are often the ones that are most successful. That should be intuitive to everyone. Blocking Facebook will never be good for employee morale or a company’s bottom line.

No Facebook? I wouldn’t quit, you still have bills to pay. But I would start looking elsewhere for a company that appreciates its employees.

via IT Business Edge 

TownSquare: Microsoft’s Enterprise Social Network

Posted by Nathania Johnson

Infoworld is reporting that Microsoft has been developing a Facebook-like application for internal use. The application is expected to be unveiled tomorrow at the Enterprise 2.0 conference in Boston.

Dubbed TownSquare,  the program launched in January. The network has already been used by 8,000 Microsoft employees and averages 700 daily visitors.

Apparently, the design is similar to Facebook’s. Microsoft invested $240 million in Facebook last year.

TownSquare serves up enterprise news feeds and employee milestones such as career anniversaries, promotions, etc. The network can also notify users of the creation and editing of documents.

The Future of Social Media: I’ve Got a Special Purpose!

Posted by Nathania Johnson

Enterprise social networking grew 191% in 2007, according to IDC. Reading the press release for this data really got the gears cranking in my mind. I have to admit that part of the lag in this blog lately is I’ve been a bit bored with social media lately. I feel a bit like a hamster in a wheel - like I’m seeing the same stuff over and over and over again.

But enterprise social networking made social media feel purposeful again, which may be a bit strange coming from someone who is a freelancer. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to be participating organically in enterprise social networking anytime soon.

The idea of achieving a goal through social media is where I’m being drawn in again. I’m wondering if, ultimately, this is where social media is heading. There’s a point of saturation that web startups meet if they’re not innovative enough. That’s why Yahoo is having trouble while Google is dominating the search field or why no one talks about Friendster anymore and even MySpace and dare I say it - Facebook - are getting a bit tired.

Sure, it’s been fun to catch up with old friends from college and read fun Tweets, but I personally am at a saturation point. I need something more, and I seriously doubt I’m alone.

Actually, I know I’m not alone. I’ve noticed Twitterers who’ve said their questions are no longer being answered. I know the conversation on Twitter is not as good as it used to be. (Yes, already we can talk about the good ol’ days of Twitter - even though they were just 4-6 weeks ago.)

I could go on and theorize that the need for connectedness has been met and now we’re in danger of overconnecting, but I’m not quite ready to commit to that. There’s still so many people who don’t even *know* what Twitter is, for example.

In the meantime, I find myself a bit bored, a bit like John Mayer “waiting for the world to change.” And the most frustrating thing is - I’m not completely sure where we’re even headed.

But if enterprise social networking is any indication - and I hope it is - we might just be headed towards a social web that is purpose-oriented.

And that, my friends, is the stuff that dreams are made of.