AHRI: The social compact

It’s a sad state of affairs within companies that we all identify so easily with Little Britain ’s Carol Beer and “computer says no…(cough)”. But it is a sign that many employees aren’t as engaged with their jobs as the bosses or HR department would like. Management’s common goals are to engage and motivate staff while stopping them wasting time and fiddling around on Facebook or Twitter.“If somebody is going to waste time they are going to waste time with or without the technology,” says Michael Specht, founder of InSpecht which specialises in recruitment and HR technology. “Facebook and Twitter are the ones mentioned mostly but there are all sorts of ways that people waste time within companies, including Solitaire and eBay.”But now some companies are realising that by connecting employees they will work harder and be happier. According to Carmel Speer, GM of organisational capability at the National Australia Bank (NAB), the effect of an internal social network, something the bank implemented two years ago as part of its online academy, is positive.“It’s about making it easier for individuals to realise their potential,” she says. In short, the internally developed site is similar to Facebook in some aspects, but is only open to NAB employees. It allows employees to develop their own personal brand on the “my profile” section. They can upload a profile photo, list their personal interests, work experience and projects they are working on and connect with other employees within the bank. It is based around the SAP hierarchy and people are grouped into teams across the organisation.