Disclosure: Post sponsored by Spherion, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.
If you’ve been following along, you’ve noticed I’ve been pumping out content around Spherion’s Emerging Workforce Study findings. Today’s blog post will be talking about the world of social media and it’s future in the workplace.
About the 2015 Emerging Workforce Study
The Emerging Workforce Study by Spherion has examined the issues and trends impacting employment and the workplace for more than 18 years. The 2015 study examines several forward-looking trends and indicators for what the future workplace will become. As the perspectives, attitudes and expectations of the workforce continues to evolve, employers need to better understand workers for greater success.
What else should you know?
- More than 2,000 workers and 225 human resource managers were surveyed on their opinions and attitudes around critical workplace topics such as recruitment, employee engagement, job satisfaction, retention, employee advocacy, social media use, generational differences and work/life balance. Findings from this in-depth research reveal new trends, insights and impacts that are important for U.S. employers and their employees.
- The study was conducted by Harris Poll, a Nielson company, between March and April 2015.
- The survey offers great statistics and trend information for HR managers and businesses and points to an interesting, growing gap between employers’ and employees’ views.
- The survey also includes data that can impact HR strategies to increase engagement, productivity and retention, among other topics important to the employment life cycle and workplace.
The current and future role of social media in the workdplace
The role of social media in the workplace is becoming more prevalent and increasingly important to workers. Not only do more workers believe it impacts their productivity, but it also impacts their job satisfaction and ability to succeed in the organization. Are employers keeping up with the expectations of their employees when it comes to social media and how will the continuing evolution of social media impact the workplace?
The findings:
- One out of every two workers (50%) believes social media outlets at least somewhat influences their view of a company they might consider working for.
- 47% of employees expect their user experience with their HR department to match what they’re accustomed to with outside applications.
- Only 24% of workers report their HR departments provide mobile applications for work-related processes.
- More workers this year believe having access to social media sites and tools allows them to be more productive at work (39% in 2015 compared to 34% in 2014).
- Nearly 1 in 3 workers (30%) believe that whether a company allows its workers to utilize social media during work factors greatly into their job satisfaction.
- More workers this year believe they are expected to be social media savvy in order to succeed in their organization, up 4% from 27% in 2014.
- Workers indicated they spend the following amount of time in a typical workday using online social media tools or mobile applications to get their job done:
- Less than one hour (33%)
- Between 1 and 6 hours (21%)
- Only 41% of workers say they don’t use any type of mobile or social web site to get their job done.
- 50% of employers say they struggle with how to address social media policies or practices with their workforce.
My Thoughts
If you know anything about me, it’s that I own a Social Media Marketing Agency. This topic is my jam.
Social media has become the main method of communication for most of us, so this is why 50% of employers are struggling with policy. With Millennials making up most of the workplace, the usage is only going to increase, and that’s not a bad thing.
There are an abundance of career growth & recruiting tools that tie into Social Media, so limiting access to Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and even Instagram is only handcuffing your employees.
Looking for more information on the 2015 Emerging Workforce Study findings? Just click here for more.
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Spherion partnered with bloggers such as me for their Emerging Workforce Study program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any idea mentioned in these posts. Spherion believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Spherion’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
