Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Table of Contents
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction: ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Methodology:................................................................................................................................................ 5 Demographic profiling: ................................................................................................................................. 5 Findings ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Conclusion: .................................................................................................................................................. 15 Limitations: ................................................................................................................................................. 15

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Executive Summary
Introduction:

This ever increasing craze of social networking websites has created a new marketing platform for organizations. Employees have been reported accessing social networking websites from their workplace. Some organizations have been reported to have their own internal social networking platforms. It was hence decided to conduct this study on employees perspective on how organizations use social networking websites. The study aims to find social networking usage in an Indian organization context.

Methodology:

Data were collected from 108 working professionals in different organizations by implementing an online questionnaire consisting of 13 items.
Findings:

A majority of respondents indicated that they spent more than 2hours daily on social networking websites. 23% of the respondents admitted to using proxy server or other methods to access social networking websites. A majority responded that they were provided an internal communicator and about a one-third were using internal social network. While internal networks are used for formal communication, a lot of employees also admitted to using internal networks for informal communication. Majority agreed about receiving events and activities information on these networks. Nearly a half of the respondents believed that internal social network helped them in increasing productivity whereas one-third respondents were neutral about it. A majority of respondents agreed that they had senior colleagues as friends on social networking websites, received hiring related information and their organizations marketed about products and services on social networking websites.

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Conclusion:

Social networking websites have become an integral part of everyones life. 40% of the respondents access social networking websites from their workplace and in 35% cases the company had their own internal social networking platform which is used not only for formal or work-related communication but also informal interaction including searching house on rent, food joints and hangout places. It is helping to bridge the gap between employees and their bosses. Companies are even using professional networks like LinkedIn to streamline their hiring process.

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Introduction:
On January 2, 2011 Goldman Sachs invested $500 million into Facebook valuing it at $50 billion. Social networking websites have all of a sudden come from nowhere and caught the attention of the world. Recently launched Google Plus reached 25 million users in just over a month. This ever increasing craze of social networking websites has created a new marketing platform for organizations. Employees have been reported accessing social networking websites from their workplace. A few organizations have been reported to have their own internal social networking platforms. They target employee engagement so as to remove communication barriers. It was hence decided to conduct a study on employees perspective on how organizations use social networking websites. The study aims to find social networking usage in an Indian organization context. A survey on employees working in Indian organizations has been conducted for the same.

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Methodology:
A survey was conducted among working professionals in Indian organizations. The questionnaire was implemented online via Qualtrics.com. It had thirteen items, two for demographic profiling showing age and gender of respondents whereas the remaining eleven for understanding employees perspective. These eleven variables were identified by studying past research papers and various news articles. A questionnaire was distributed to more than three hundred working professionals. One hundred and eight people responded and it is the final size of the sample used for the study.

Demographic profiling:
Out of hundred eight respondents twelve percent of them aged between eighteen to twenty one, sixty five aged between twenty two to twenty five, sixteen percent of them aged between twenty six to twenty nine, seven percent of them aged above thirty. The gender ratio (male to female) was 73:27.

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Findings
The findings are discussed by analyzing responses for each question in the questionnaire and are as follows: Q1 How much time you spend at online social networks daily? 1) Less than 30 mins 2) 30 mins 1 hr 3) 1 -2 hrs 4) More than 2 hrs A: Number of people spending less than 30mins on social networking websites are least, 16% (17 out of 108) respondents. In comparison, number of people spending 30mins 1hr and 1 2 hrs are equal, 23% (25 out of 108). 38% (41 out of 108) of the respondents indicate that they spend more than 2 hours of their daily time on social networking websites.

# 1 2 3 4

Answer Less than 30 mins 30 mins - 1 hr 1 - 2 hrs More than 2 hrs Total

Response 17 25 25 41 108

% 16% 23% 23% 38% 100%

Q2 Do you have access to social networking websites during office hours at your workplace? 1) Yes, it is permitted 2) Yes, using proxy server or other methods 3) Strictly prohibited

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

A: 40% of the respondents (43 out of 108) indicate that use of social networking websites is permitted at their workplace. In comparison, 37% (40 out of 108) indicate that social networking websites is strictly prohibited at their workplace. Only 23% (25 out of 108) indicate that they use proxy server or other methods to access those websites.

# 1

Answer Yes, it is permitted Yes, using proxy server or other methods Strictly prohibited

Response 43

% 40%

25

23%

40

37%

Q3 Do you have any internal social network or similar platform in your organization? 1) Yes, an online platform for interaction 2) Yes, an internal Communicator 3) No, only e-mails A: 48% (52 out of 108) of the respondents indicate that they use an internal communicator to interact within organization. 35% of the respondents indicate that they communicate with other employees with the help of an internal social network or similar platform. A minority of the respondents i.e. 28% indicate that they have facility of only e-mails to communicate with other employees at their workplace. # 1 2 3 Answer Yes, an online platform for interaction Yes, an internal Communicator No, only e-mails Response 38 52 30 % 35% 48% 28%

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Q4 Internal social network or similar platform in your organization is used for: I. Formal or work related communication a. Strongly agree b. Agree c. Neutral d. Disagree e. Strongly disagree II. Informal communication a. Strongly agree b. Agree c. Neutral d. Disagree e. Strongly disagree

A: The data indicate that nearly 47% of the respondents disagree on the opinion that social networking sites are used for only work related information.on the otherhand 36% of the respondant agreed on the fact that social networking site are used for only work related communication. The second part of the question tries to find out how many number of the employees feel that social networking sites in their organization is used also for informal communication. A high number of percentage of respondants i.e 70% agreed that the social networking site in their organisation is also used for informal communication. Only 15% of the of the respondant used for informal communication.

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Question

Strongly Disagree Disagree

Neither Agree nor Disagree 18

Agree

Strongly Responses Agree

Mean

Used ONLY for formal or work related communication ALSO used for informal communication

18

33

28

11

108

2.82

10

15

48

28

108

3.71

Q5: You receive updates about information/events/activities in your organization on internal social network or similar platform. a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree

Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

A: It is encouraging to notice that 63% (68 out of 108) of the respondents agree that they receive information about various events and activities in their organizations with the help of internal social networks whereas 24% (25 out of 108) disagree with this. 14% (15 out of 108) of the respondents are neutral in response. # 1 2 3 4 5 Answer Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Total Response 6 19 15 52 16 108 % 6% 18% 14% 48% 15% 100%

Q6: You exchange information like house for rent, hang out places, food joints and related things with your colleagues. a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree A: Exchange of daily life information on internal social networks is widely done as 54% (58 out of 108) of the respondents agree exchanging such information, 22% (24 out of 108) indicate that they dont whereas 24% (26 out of 108) of the respondents are neutral.

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Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

# 1 2 3 4 5

Answer Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Total

Response 8 16 26 42 16 108

% 7% 15% 24% 39% 15% 100%

Q7: Your internal social network or similar platform helps in increasing employee productivity. a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree A: 48% (52 out of 108) of the respondents believe that internal social networks help in increasing employees productivity. 31% (33 out of 108) of the respondents are neutral whereas 37% (23 out of 108) of the respondents do not agree with this.

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Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

# 1 2 3 4 5

Answer Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Total

Response 9 14 33 40 12 108

% 8% 13% 31% 37% 11% 100%

Q 8: You have your senior colleagues as your friends in social networking websites like Facebook, Google+, etc. A: 62% (67 out of 108) of the respondents indicated that they are connected with their senior colleagues on social networking websites. 11% (12 out of 108) of the respondents are neutral whereas 27% (29 out of 108) of the respondents disagree with this.

# 1 2 3 4 5

Answer Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Total

Response 12 17 12 49 18 108

% 11% 16% 11% 45% 17% 100%

Q9.Your company conducts promotional and marketing activities on SNW like Facebook, Google+, etc.

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Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree # 1 2 3 4 5 Answer Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Total Response 21 26 18 36 7 108 % 19% 24% 17% 33% 6% 100%

Out of 108 respondents 43% of them disagreed that their company conducts promotional and marketing activities on SNW like Facebook, Google+ etc. 39% of the respondents agreed that their company conducts promotional and marketing activities on SNW. 17% of the respondents were neutral. Q10.You receive or follow hiring related information of any company on professional networking websites like LinkedIn. a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly disagree

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Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

A: A high percentage of respondents i.e. 55% receive or follow hiring related information of any company on professional networking websites like LinkedIn. A few percentage of the respondents indicated that they dont receive or follow hiring related information while 19% respondents remained neutral. # 1 2 3 4 5 Answer Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Total Response 5 23 21 41 18 108 % 5% 21% 19% 38% 17% 100%

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Employees Perspectives on How Companies Use Social Networks

Conclusion:
Social networking websites have become an integral part of everyones life with close to forty percent of the respondents agreeing to more than two hours of online time. Organizations are also beginning to realize the importance of social networking with forty percent allowing access inside the organization. Thirty five percent even had an internal social networking platform of their own while one third promotes its brand via social networks. Employees are using internal social networks for both formal as well as informal communication. Employees even admitted to using internal networks for searching house on rent, food joints and hangout places. It is even breaking the communication barriers in an organization with close to two thirds of the respondents admitted of having their seniors in organization as friends on social networks like Facebook and Google Plus. Finally social networks are even used for hiring now-a-days with the emergence of professional networks like LinkedIn.

Limitations:
The small size of sample leaves scope for future research. Also considering the low internet penetration in India, the survey reflects the mood of population which uses internet rather than the overall population.

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