Building social networks – are organisations using these to guide change?
13/07/2009, Author: Donna Conway
It has been a few weeks now since we ran our taster session on how business psychology can assist organisations to help implement change within their organisations. We had HR Executives from a range of industries and organisations brave the tube strike to attend, and supported by a fabulous venue (the London Canal Museum) the evening was a great success.
I was particularly interested in the discussions that came up during the word café activity around using social networks to enable change and innovation, a theoretical perspective emphasised recently by Cross & Thomas (2009). This is based on the idea of building rapport and trust amongst employees through the sharing and enjoyment of common interests.
One HR Director on my discussion table gave the example of how their organisation had recently run a horticultural show, which had involved employees from all parts of the business who may not have otherwise come together if it wasn’t for their mutual green fingered interests. Another described how their employees were able to post personal details and contact information on the companies’ intranet site. Both these measures help to break down barriers and encourage a community feel to an organisation, rather than it being segmented and departmental which so often creates a stumbling block when there is a change to be made company wide.
I am therefore left wondering how many organisations are purposefully encouraging these social networks and building stronger foundations amongst their staff and for their business as a result. Maybe some are doing this without realising, as essentially any social event could create new strategic alliances that could come in useful later down the line.
Do you think it is important to build social networks within your own organisation, and have you found these to be useful when initiating strategic changes?
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Comments
13/07/2009 by Luigi Paiano, http://
Yes Donna - I do think it is important, and here are 3 reasons why... - A huge number of delegates I have met on the workshops I have facilitated or attended over the years have bemoaned the fact that there is not enough wider networking in organisations, leading to a silo mentality and walls building up. Waiting a couple of years for such a training event is not sufficient. Having a recognised platform to network in place would help to address this. - People often feel that "strategic change" has been done TO them, leaving them feeling isolated, confused and de-motivated. A forum of peers with similar concerns, meeting either face to face or virtually, can self counsel, gather strength from its numbers and engender a wider team ethos that is often missing from an individuals' armour. - So often, organisations rely on regular 'jollies' to help motivate and bring together the team. They have their place, but they are not for all. A few years back a group I managed numbered around 50. There were regular social events, but I could probably still name most of the hard core 17 who turned up to every event. It just doesn't suit all, and I feel that social networking is a way of reaching out to a wider audience. How all this is done, how it looks and feels - has to be specifically wedded to the organisation in question - whatever is produced would have to fit with their values, culture and make up. We still have to remember business goals and all the grown up stuff... but if we want to capture the essence of this particular Zeitgeist - then strike now and reap the rewards - that's what I say!
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