Enterprise microblogging (part 2): ‘all of us are smarter than any of us’

Quick recap: CPA Australia has approximately 450 employees in 16 offices across 11 countries serving upwards of 130 000 members. In part 1 we focused on my workplace love story of introducing the enterprise microblogging platform Yammer.

This middle child post is to share some stories of the benefits we have experienced from introducing enterprise microblogging. A 2009 McKinsey survey reported on the business benefits gained as a result of using Web 2.0 technologies, including greater ability to share ideas; improved access to knowledge experts; and reduced costs of communications, travel, and operations. CPA Australia’s experience was no different…

Enterprise microblogging furthers organisational learning – staff achieve ambient awareness of what’s going on around the organisation, increased access to and collaboration with other workers, and a forum for listening and observing peers within an informal environment. This has led to greater workplace engagement for some and added to organisational efficiencies and performance. Today, we focus on three benefits all of which further organisational learning.

1. Knowledge sharing AKA the lunch review
Information posted on Yammer is available to the entire network and thus all benefit from the message rather than a limited audience as would occur with an email or water cooler conversation.

One guy eats out for lunch every day, its his treat to himself. He started using Yammer to give (almost) daily lunch reviews. In my favourite review he gave a comparison of two places that sold baked potatoes almost next door to one another. He gave a detailed account of his experience based on quality, taste, price and customer service…he had obviously thought long and hard about it! This built up its own following – people rated reviews by ‘liking it’ – the thumbs up and many commented and debated his opinion. A small social interaction which built relationships – and allowed later face to face interactions to be familiar.

2. Flattened communication AKA the first 90 days
McKinsey’s survey results also showed more than half of respondents reporting

Web 2.0 technologies have fostered in-company interactions across geographic borders; 45 percent cite interactions across functions, and 39 percent across business units.

It can be challenging to make connections and sense of the complexities of an organisation particularly in your first 3 months. To assist with this, late last year we introduced Yammer into our new staff induction program. Just last week, immediately after learning about Yammer and whilst still participating in an induction session, a new senior staff member joined Yammer and introduced himself. Within a few minutes he had been welcomed by a number of others and a conversation followed regarding introductions, roles and projects – based in a small office interstate this staff member had connected with a group of people in several Australian offices, across diverse business functions he would be unlikely to meet or make connection with otherwise within his first year!

This flattened communication has in some instances led to employees being less reliant on supervisors and managers to establish communications, and in turn collaboration, between business units. Staff also have a broader reach to communicate with and learn from others whom they previously would not even think of or know to connect with.

3. Simplifying the complex AKA the Japanese website incident
The ability for simplifying the complex through the opportunity to quickly crowdsource answers to questions improves workplace efficiencies. A senior staff member found an international website that mentioned our brand and wanted to know what it was about – he posted the question on Yammer…’found this Japanese website can anyone translate it for me?’ Within just a couple of hours he hadvrecrived responses from staff across three countries and several referrals to people in the organisation who could speak Japanese, others who identified the site as being not Japanese but Chinese instead and lastly one who translated it for him as some kind of strange search engine!

This speed in which the problem was solved as well as the utilising of knowledge and skills across the organisation truly shows the benefit of having enterprise microblogging in place – much more efficient than a flurry of emails and phonecalls particularly when it’s difficult to pinpoint a starting point. In this case Yammer serves as a way of calling on the expertise of employees.

Really the most important thing is…
But the most important point is that all of these things are beneficial for both the individual and the organisation because of the relationship building that comes along with it. Not all sharing, conversation or interaction needs to be work related in order to benefit the workplace, it is the relationship building that occurs that ultimately leads to increased organisational performance.

In the final part of this series, stay tuned for our lessons learned for you who may wish to implement a similar initiative – whether it be an enterprise 2.0, web 2.0 or social media initiative – within your own organisation.