How Can Your HR Company Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Today’s fast-paced world demands that everyone and everything keep pace. So, it’s no surprise that social media has emerged as a preferred communication tool across generations.

It wasn’t too long ago when critics decried social media as impersonal – a little vacuous even. Today, the world has dramatically changed. No longer a personal domain, social media today is a key platform for businesses to engage meaningfully with clients, customers, partners, and employees. From serious discussion to heart-warming human interest stories - every conversation happens on social.

What does this mean for HR professionals? It’s the perfect chance to bring the "human" into human resource strategies.

Think employee engagement, building company culture, or enhancing your corporate image. It’s also worth noting that Gen Z and millennials spend a lot of time online. There’s no better time to get under the skin of these platforms (and there are several!).

Amplify company culture and strengths

Social media is an excellent medium for brand storytelling. It allows organisations to celebrate their uniqueness and define their culture. Highlight the perks of the workplace through compelling videos, images, and stories. As employees download, like, or share content, the potential reach can be tremendous for companies.

Studies have found that content shared by employees is more likely to be re-shared than posts shared through official channels. For HR professionals, it’s an excellent opportunity to rally employees as brand ambassadors - advocates who share the company’s ethos and talk about it online.

Build a unified culture

Social media can also be a valuable conduit to support a high-performance culture. The goal is to live the company culture. Generating buzz on social media can get more employees talking and rallying around core values.

For instance, tools such as Workplace by Facebook allow organizations to create a social network just for employees. Platforms like Slack and Yammer can up engagement levels through fun corporate challenges or team activities. Platforms such as these facilitate a unified culture quite effectively.

Employee Engagement

Social media not only keep employees informed but also enhances engagement with co-workers. How companies leverage social media can impact employees' sense of belonging.

Use social media to post news of team achievements. Day-in-the-life stories can make employees feel seen and valued. In addition, social media channels can also be useful to post weather advisories or urgent announcements.

Training and development

HR professionals can pique curiosity for upcoming training sessions by posting teaser content on social media. Publish engaging posts that build excitement. Remember to invite opinions, questions, and ideas. During the training, involve remote employees through platforms like Periscope. Regardless of location, employees can follow developments through live video feeds. After the session, post relevant multimedia content associated with the training on social media.

Boost recruitment efforts

More organizations are going the social media route to expand their talent search. Hiring through social media reduces time, effort, and targets quality hires. When done right, there’s no stopping a company from finding the best people.

First things first, identify platforms where potential candidates might be most active. You may need to diversify the search to Reddit, Twitter, GitHub, or other online communities. Next, start posting content consistently and interact with followers on your chosen platforms. Hashtags can help people find you and vice versa. Not just any hashtag, however. Using the right one is imperative to enhancing and fine-tuning your social media strategies.

Social media offers a world of avenues for storytelling when managed right. Understanding each one’s benefits and ways of working can help you enhance HR activities and people management.