Companies Increasing Social Media Communications with Employees

December 7, 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A majority of companies plan to increase their use of social media to communicate with employees in the coming year, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt.

A press release said the Watson Wyatt 2009/2010 Communication ROI Study found almost two-thirds (65%) of companies plan to increase their use of social media in 2010. Overall, 78% of global respondents have increased their electronic communication in the last 24 months.

While interest is growing, many employers report common hurdles to implementing social media. Among employers that did not expand their use of social media, more than one-third (36%) cited the lack of information technology support or inadequate technical capability, 40% reported limited knowledge of the topic, and nearly half (45%) said they lack staff or resources.

While nearly half (48%) of respondents have decreased their print communication over the past 24 months, traditional methods of communication are not out the door yet, as 55% of respondents have increased face-to-face communication.  The press release said traditional communication channels remain the most popular for many of employers, with 73% preferring to communicate changes to business performance via staff meeting, 43% saying financial education is best delivered through their intranet, and 58% and 48%, respectively, preferring to communicate changes to pay and job security face-to-face.

Rebecca Moore
editors@plansponsor.com