Photo Source: Social
Media Summit

By now, most are aware that social media has been one of the
greatest influencers of our behavior within the last decade. It has changed
multiple facets of our lives as it is a place where everyone and anyone can
participate in the conversation happening online and in real time. But, is the
HR world keeping up with these changes?

When
it comes to the corporate world, HR is often one of the last to adapt to change. Mostly because they are the
keepers of policy, procedure, order, and the employee. They were the keeper of
the employee until social media changed the game, and as a result HR
professionals are facing some challenges.

Employers
must now communicate changes to their organization making the assumption that
by telling one, you are telling all. A single tweet or Facebook update can
serve as public notice to any type of change throwing a wrinkle in the
corporate communicate process. Through social media, blogs, and online forums
employees can now share their experiences and suggestions good as well as bad.
Like consumers, companies have little control except to monitor, address the
change, and continue to communicate.

However,
pairing social media and Human Resources can lead to positive outcomes, too. It
is time for Human Resources professionals to look at social media as a valuable
tool for their various duties. Social media can help companies enhance employee engagement, keep an eye on the competition and perform a variety of
other HR functions.

HR and Recruiting teams are
now seen as an extension of their PR and Marketing departments. Their target
audience using social media is not just consumers, but candidates as well.
Social media allows certain HR activities, like recruiting, to be accomplished
on a much wider scale than traditional methods. It helps companies engage with
a larger audience, build brand awareness, target top candidates and improve on
the effectiveness of their recruitment efforts without a significant increase
in costs. It’s a practical way to build relationships and source
talented candidates who may not even be actively looking for a new position. Together, Human Resources and PR departments can
target the best of the best for the brand through social media.

In addition, social networks
offer countless resources to help HR professionals keep up with news,
technology, and trends. Sharing and collaborating are the norm on social media,
so if you have a challenge or question, you are sure to find help on thousands
of HR blogs, forums, and social chats that are just a search away.

Social media has transformed
the way we learn and communicate in our personal lives. Now, organizations are
increasingly incorporating it into their strategic planning for recruiting,
hiring, and other HR functions. It will be interesting to see in the future how
social media continues to shape the HR world.

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