Challenges of Social Media Types in the Workplace
Several articles and blog posts have been published over the last few years on what businesses need to consider to manage and employ Generation Y (aka the Millennials). There was even a Managing Generation Y book written. And I think the changes in management and leadership that are coming about for that will also apply for organizations considering hiring a social media participant, someone like me, for instance.
Here are some thoughts an employer might consider, and a few that you as a social media type might use to your advantage.
Firewalls: Our Biggest Enemy
The first thing I notice upon arriving somewhere to work is just how much of the Internet is offline and unavailable to me. Within ten minutes of firing up a browser, I’ve usually bounced against some of the company’s rulesets, most of which were just a certain level’s built-in blockage. By their nature, most firewall rulesets block:
- MySpace
- YouTube
- IM services
- Online shopping communities like eBay
- More blogs than you’d imagine
- Download sites for most applications.
I’m blocked 3-7 times a day, and almost always with an incorrect blocking message by the firewall company. For example, Louis Gray was blocked as religion. Only if tech geeks are now a religion, and then, I’m praying.
In lots of cases, these policies exist for a reason, and they are probably good to have in mind for the larger user set. It’s not even that a company has to consider productivity, which they do, but that a company might not want to have to deal with what happens when their employee is doing something illegal via a company computer using a social network. One stalker/child predator problem later, and there goes the neighborhood. Most companies want to avoid this up front instead of seek forgiveness later.
How You Might Work on That
In my case, it was reasonably easy. I stated that I needed access to XYZ site because that’s the value I bring to the organization: my connectedness to these various social networks. For others, the proposition might take a little more explaining. If you have to convince someone of which sites you want to access and why, here are some tips:
Don’t be vague about access to blogs. Mention that you check Mashable and TechCrunch regularly for Internet tools and technology advice. Mention the New York Times blogs or FastCompany, too. Lead with these; get Gaping Void in the next round. : )
In asking for YouTube, point out that IBM predictions for 08 video, and that .. and that Amazon virtual storage and server demo from Second Life (might even bonus your request for SL access), and maybe even a C++ programming tutorial. Remember: people think YouTube is about farting dogs on skateboards. Tell them it’s not.
Instant Messenger is a fear point to most organizations. For whatever reason, they see that little rectangle not as a time-waster, but a portal through which you will accidentally copy/paste the outside world your best code, or copy for your CEO’s big merger announcement. Maybe they’re right. When you ask for access to IM, explain how it might work nicely as a team initiative, and talk through how much faster asking a question in IM is versus making phone calls for the same data. Point out how an IM carries the payload of your request faster.
Video Overall
Your big fight with video isn’t that companies are very worried about you watching lots of movies at work (they might be, but that’s only one issue). Bandwidth is the issue here. I’ve been in a big office, with a really fat pipe, that has gone to its knees due to some interesting news streaming live on CNN.com. Suddenly, work-related matters fall into a frozen state because three or four folks wanted to see a space shuttle take off. It crushes the argument pretty quickly.
Go gently into this one. If you NEED video at your day job, it’s probably easier to request. Otherwise, I might stay clear of this one for a while. Being the center of a lag issue could scuttle the ship on all the other things you’re trying to accomplish. Just my thought there.
Quick Hits for Social Media Advocacy
- Subscribe to WebWorkerDaily and read it often. They have TONS of pointers for people who work online. Lots of them can be helpful to what you need.
- Point to business cases and use specifics. Not “blogs,” but “New York Times Tech blogs.”
- Go for a few things at a time. Don’t overwhelm the decision maker on this. And don’t sound waffly. This is just what you need to do your job. If it’s not, don’t ask.
- Don’t explain Twitter. It will eat too many conversations. Explain it later.
- Remember that the mobile web is getting easier to use.
- Don’t forget Meebo (though some firewalls block it as a proxy site).
- Remember every keystroke you type into your work computer MIGHT be logged via the firewall, IM included. This is information security, not spying, but it still feels the same.
- Most decent IT organizations log how much active time you’re using XYZ apps. If you’re slacking, it will show. (My workaround on this is being measured on my results, not what web page I spend time searching).
I’m sure you have some ideas on this. How have YOU succeeded? What are your war stories? Where have you been thwarted in your plans? And have you worked for places that are better than not at understanding the value of social media and social networking at work? (I sure have!) What’s YOUR take?
The Social Media 100 is a project by Chris Brogan dedicated to writing 100 useful blog posts in a row about the tools, techniques, and strategies behind using social media for your business, your organization, or your own personal interests. Swing by [chrisbrogan.com] for more posts in the series, and if you have topic ideas, feel free to share them, as this is a group project, and your opinion matters.
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Photo credit, Kyle and Kelly Adams
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Comments
You are right on the money. I am in a quasi-govt environment and it took explaning and specifics to access areas of the Internet. Video is the last to tackle without a doubt. Once I showed my superiors and IT how I was using the information I was granted more access. Patience, Grasshopper. It took one year to get video…
There are always technological solutions to such problems, though it’s easier to ‘blanket block’ with a firewall.
In a pediatric hospital in Australia where I trained, each staff member was given a login/password they could use to access the Intranet and Web. However, the sys admin could track online surfing patterns, and would immediately notice frequent visits to social sites during work hours, or if the user accessed any ‘prohibited’ sites.
Email access was free. To assess suitable and legal/ethical use, they had programmed it so that if you got a ‘naughty’ email message, and deleted it within 5 seconds, you didn’t request it - while if you gawked at it for longer, it indicates ‘interest’… which could then be penalized suitably.
The one way to work around this was to login as someone else - and that ID security was the user’s responsibility (logging off after surfing, and not sharing passwords were commonsense precautions taught new users).
All success
Dr.Mani
Chris:
Yes, it is tough being a social media person inside the firewall; however, I’m doing my best to make sure folks know the value of some of the basics of Web 2.0/social networking/social computing:
1. I give Web 2.0 101 presentations during team calls or 1:1 for individuals.
2. I blog internally about the value of these technologies/techniques.
3. I am honing my skills to ensure I am including the WIIFM when talking about all of these topics.
If you can tie what you do to learning, KM, innovation, connectivity w/ clients/partners/supliers, then your arguements for site access (and site exploration by the company) are that more powerful!
Little known fact is that I’m often the guy writing those security policies that the firewall people and other security people need to follow.
It all boils down to a reasonable acceptable use policy, and I assure you that mine are very reasonable and the firewall and other rules that flow from them.
No, not universal access to everything for everyone, but something very reasonable that’s based on sound business principles and risk management. And yeah, some people can get to just about anything, probably most of the people reading this post.
Great posting Chris. More importantly this article speaks to those organizations that do not know or understand the importance of these tools. I’ve bookmark this post to help explain it to my company. There will be lots of hand-holding between marketing departments and VPs over the next few years.
HI Chris
My fear is that companies are too scared of breaking down the walls to allow 2.0 to become a reality. I am starting a new 2.0 web development company and I know I will spend my time educating businesses instead of selling to the converted. A few decent examples of how business can implement the 2.0 philosophy would be very advantageous.
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Funny, a co-worker in my position in another office sent me this post and it is dead on. The company in question wants me to utilize YouTube and Myspace in our Social Media Marketing, but yes they are blocked. We have brought these issues up slowly and have begun using tools to get around these and making due with the utilities that are not blocked, aka Facebook and Meebo. Great post.
I was lecturing at a high school recently and mentioned that the school’s firewall blocked off nearly every form of social media. A student piped up - “Oh, we just use VTunnel.com - goes right around the firewall.”
I was amused.
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It’s a difficult position to be when you are the Systems Administrator and you love social media and social networking!!! Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place because I am the gatekeeper and I love both sides of the gate!
However, I must strike a delicate and painful balance when it comes to blocking access to certain sites and services. The company’s interest and bottom line MUST come first.
I do make every effort I can to downplay the misinformation that executives are fed which generates a hysterical fear of web 2.0. Yes, it can be a horriffic productivity killer in the enterprise. Studies have shown shocking amounts of time lost per day when users check personal emails, visit social networks, chat, play games, blog!, etc. Still, there are a lot of positive and beneficial elements to it all for business. I try very hard to downplay the negatives of social networking because I want to bring the positives to my internal network. I keep trying to make SharePoint our social network. It ain’t easy folks. I feel like Rumpelstiltskin trying to spin gold out of straw but it’s getting there.
Paisano
Chris - Great post!
I work for a large company that is generally considered to be VERY conservative. A few years ago we made headlines when an employee was arrested at work for soliciting minors from his work computer.
Despite this, the organization appears to be fairly progressive. Everyone uses Microsoft Communicator, and I have downloaded AIM and MSN, and I can access all social media sites.
We have an internal blog site (which recently posted a review of Naked Conversations in the Virtual Book Club). There is an active Second LIfe blog (primarily Europeans) and I just discovered a Social Media blog yesterday (I’m trying to get on as a writer).
All of this has been done by a few champions within the organization. In a business review yesterday the quoted the number of “Blog Posts” a certain project had, which completely shocked me.
And all this from a company that is considered conservative…..
I think that the key is to have a number of Champions inside the organization who are passionate and can promote these things within the organization.
I’m an efficiency consultant (yes, like Bob from Office Space…) and I’ll readily admit that when I walk into an atmosphere where everyone is IMing and no one is doing any work, access to lots of things get clamped down pronto.
However, *my* computer terminal is never clamped down, and I’ve gotten countless new ideas that really helped my clients from reading blogs, seeing a tweet, etc. so I fully understand the value.
I’d listen to those arguments you outlined and take away restrictions IF it was preceded by “I’m caught up with or ahead on all of my projects.” I can also justify access more for certain roles within the company than I can, say, for a data entry typist — I see the value for a portion of the day (and arguably IMing might improve their typing!) but if they’re falling behind on entries, that becomes a problem. There really isn’t an exact formula for this kind of arrangement (nor should there be).
Sadly, when given an inch, many people take a mile.
If you’re desperate and HAVE to get on at work (to find a phone number, etc. etc.), you can use anonymouse or another HTTP proxy server. That’s how many bloggers/human rights activists in China get around the Great Firewall.
This is a very delicate matter to talk about. Let’s see…here in Spain when people talk about Youtube, Facebook or other sites they think of leisure time. So companies block this kind of social media types. Now, I guess you Chris Know that Serena Software is using Facebook as intranet. They are growing in sharing knowledges so the company will grow too.
I think it’s a matter of time that the old-aged-bosses-scared-by-Web2.0 leave their positions to the web2.0 generation, so social media types will be another tool to use in workplaces
If it were not for Twitter, Chris, I would not have found you.
Further, since I work from home, this post does not really apply to me but it helps me in speaking to others in the work force about the importance of some social networks.
If companies do not want these social networks being used in their work place then the company manual/policy should outline no social networks and include each one by name so that the employees will know where they should not be.
However, some companies do not realize the value of twitter or technology forums which can help these companies be productive.
Fortunately today on Twitter, HRBlock is following me and they called me out on their twitter feed because they knew I was trying to be in touch with them.
I had another incident today where a friend was sharing some a copyright infringement with use of her photos on flickr and I wish I had someone who was into copyright law to back me up on what I was saying to her.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Forgot to add something. There is a situation going on a another social/music website that I use called http://www.last.fm. An entire musical label (Funkcartel) from the UK was banned for no proof of harrassment that a user Ana Gori had complained about.
In reading the Terms of last.fm, they can ban you from their website without just cause. Their words exactly from their Terms and Policy : you agree that Last.fm including any appointed personnel may at any time without notice:
* move or suspend the Website in whole or in part; and
* disclose any material or content contained on the Website if it considers it necessary to enforce these Terms and Conditions.
These terms can be read into many ways and I feel there can be other ways to resolve situations like this.
Funkcartel wrote an entry about their situation here:
http://dafunk101.vox.com/library/post/for-what-its-worth—setting-the-record-straight.html
If I had the time, I could analyze the case from the terms of use as a user/artist and label but I do not have the time or resources.
But if anyone else gets into a similar situation just know to go through these stepss. So you know your rights. I just wonder if there are any precedent cases like this on last.fm or from other music websites.
Thanks for letting me share!
Thanks so much to Jennifer for posting this here - she has given the funkcartel so much support and we love her for it. I wanted to add to this a bit more detail - Last.FM banned the funkcartel as a collaborative group and a Record Label and as a User, they banned all the individual members as well, they blocked dasoulbase radio, they blocked dfunkbass radio, the blocked revolution100 radio, they blocked calmer coma radio, they blocked all their respective groups, they blocked and banned all 4 of the respective independent record labels which had profiles at Last.FM and offered no reason for any of it except complaints by a user in Brazil. we are devastated.
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Neat stuff, guys. Thanks for the conversation. I suspect we will talk more about this over 2008, but I wanted your take on things. Great stories. I learned a few things, even tried out a specific product. : )
Wow. I had no idea.
It could be my Mac religion or the Mormon one throwing it off. They’re both the same, you know. :-)
Being Mac. Being Mormon. It’s Quite Similar.
http://www.louisgray.com/live/2007/11/being-mac-being-mormon-its-quite.html
links for 2008-01-10…
Challenges of social media types in the workplace Your social media habit collides with company network policies? Chris Brogan has some ideas for you. (tags: corporate socialmedia policy) User determined computing In which CIOs discover that employees…
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Chris Penn, thanks SO MUCH for posting the VTunnel.com link. One of my friends’ blogs will not resolve for some reason (http://fireantgazette.com), so I can’t access it without using a tool like that. Thanks so much!
And Chris Brogan, thanks for this excellent article.
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Excellent information, Chris. Everyone’s comments are helpful as well. As Lauren, Ami and others have pointed out, showing your management how you are using the tools is key. Once they see the value, they understand you’re not just surfing the ‘net, playing scrabbleous or what not.
Also, I’ve found showing execs what our competition is doing is extremely helpful in solidifying funding for social networking opportunities.
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I don’t get blocked from any of my sites, but I do know that some sites that are “popular” do get shut out, i.e. MySpace.
I do get blocked from the cool widgets that people use to make access to those sites easier. I finally found a Firefox plugin for Twitter that didn’t assume you have unrestricted access to the web.
A bigger problem is that people in my office don’t see the value to being connected outside of the company, especially to people of unrelated industries. This, after we’ve had countless “motivational” speakers come and talk about getting outside your core competency to freshen your perspectives, networking as brain food, or thought cloud project plans.
So, fortunately for me, I’m not restricted from my connections to the SocNet world, because very few people here “get” it.