By MIT CIO | April 22, 2008
Facebook has taken ‘Generation Next’ by storm. Is Corporate America ready for the Facebook Generation? eWeek explores this question in an interesting article at http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Messaging-and-Collaboration/Should-Facebook-Be-Banned-from-Work/?kc=EWKNLEDP041108A
What do you think? Should Facebook be banned in the workplace? Even the experts are divided … read on. Read what some of us think but most importantly let us know what you think. Do you think corporate America is ready for the Facebook generation? What is your company doing to be best positioned to leverage the opportunity and balance the risk? What are the real leaders in this space upto?
Here are 2 key question I believe companies need to be asking themselves as they debate the pros and cons of enabling Facebook like applications in the work place:
1. What are your core values? Be true to your fundamental values. If you commit to values like ‘communication’, ‘collaboration’ or the like as core values and by the same token prop up barriers to such interactions, you will risk losing credibility. Consider the core value seriously and examine how you can tailor your ‘Facebook’ policy to best align with your corporate values.
2. What do you want to ‘use’ the system for? Eventually people are … well … people. They will find a time, place and way to make their voice heard! Ask yourself if there is really any barrier to your human talent ‘talking’ through other channels – public or private. It turns out that there are really many places one could take his or her message to, and I believe companies are better served supporting a forum where they at least know what the voice of the associates is. Why would you not want to be there when they are talking? How do you plan to channelize the collective ideas and energy of your human talent?
As youngsters start making their voice heard in establishments and the experienced generation too starts opening up to new possibilities it is not unfathomable that the community will collectively establish the standards and due processes for self-governance.
In essence we think that why enabling Facebook like applications may well be inevitable. Valdes says that companies are still learning the rules of this new game. Very true.
You are better off taking leadership and setting the direction for your community – set the direction, put some ground rules in place and then let … the community take over. As I am wont to saying lead the way, it’s your game!
Topics: Improving Workforce Efficiency & Reducing IT Barriers | No Comments »
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