In-house SNS is attracting attention as a tool for activating internal communication and efficiently sharing information. However, even though many companies understand what is important, they are unsure of which tools to implement and are putting it off.
Here, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of internal SNS, as well as recommended internal SNS tools.
In addition, we introduce an information-sharing tool, “in-house wiki”, that is similar to the in-house SNS below.
- Complete manual from introduction to the utilization of in-house wiki Information sharing techniques practiced by growing companies!
More and more companies are introducing internal SNS
Internal SNS is an SNS customized for companies and is a tool that allows employees from each location and department to communicate smoothly with each other. Business chat tools such as Chartwork and Slack can also be considered internal SNS. There are also in-house SNSs whose usability is tailored to suit the type of job, such as sales or engineering.
Internal SNS makes it easier to send information than email and allows for speedy information sharing and opinion exchange. It can also be effective in sharing the knowledge and know-how of each employee, examining ideas across departments, and fostering a sense of unity among employees.
According to ITOCHU Techno Solutions ‘ “Survey on the Implementation Status of Business Chat Tools in Major Companies” released in 2017, 12.1% of companies have introduced chat tools company-wide, and 16.0% have presented them in some areas. This is the result. In other words, just under 30% of major companies use chat tools.
As various in-house SNS services are now being provided, they will become widespread among small and medium-sized enterprises and venture companies.
Purpose Of Using Internal SNS
What are the reasons and challenges why companies are introducing internal SNS? Here are three typical purposes for using internal SNS.
I want to revitalize communication.
The most common reason for introducing internal SNS is to revitalize internal communication. Communication via email tends to be one-on-one, and even if you cc the person involved, it has the disadvantage of being difficult to accept as your own. With an in-house SNS, all group participants can see what is said, creating an environment where people can easily communicate with each other.
I want to share information and know-how.
The information and knowledge possessed by each employee are a great asset to a company. However, traditional communication tools such as email and telephone make it difficult to share information, and even if it were possible, it would likely be limited to only a few employees.
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By posting information, know-how, reference materials, etc., on internal SNS, all employees within the group can view it and refer to it as needed. By accumulating information on internal SNS, new employees and mid-career employees who join the company after the information has been shared will also be able to access that information. Creating an environment where people can easily share their daily observations and important knowledge can lead to improvements in company-wide issues.
I want to communicate regardless of location.
Employees in jobs that require a lot of traveling, such as sales, have fewer opportunities to communicate with other employees. Furthermore, in recent years, flexible work styles such as short-time working, telecommuting, and remote work have become commonplace, so unless employees are conscious of this, they tend to be unable to communicate with each other.
In-house SNS supports multiple devices and can be accessed from outside the company while ensuring security. Therefore, even employees working outside the company can easily communicate with each other.
What Are The Benefits Of Internal SNS?
What are the benefits of introducing an internal SNS? Let’s look at it in detail.
Facilitates cross-departmental communication
Emails and telephones are limited to communication between employees in their departments. Still, internal SNS allows communication across departments, which has the advantage of generating ideas from a variety of perspectives.
Additionally, allowing employees who don’t usually come into contact with each other to communicate with each other will help create a sense of unity in an organization.
Information sharing can be made more efficient.
When sharing information via email, you need to enter all the email addresses of the people you want to share with and create multiple mailing lists if necessary, which takes time and effort. Also, if you exchange a lot of emails, your content may get buried and not be seen by the people you want to see.
However, with internal SNS, information can be shared smoothly with the entire group. If there is a particular person you would like to see, you can send data to that individual, making information sharing more efficient. It will also be less likely to be buried in other news.
Communicate anytime, anywhere.
In general, you can access your company’s SNS on a variety of devices, so one advantage is that you can communicate anytime and anywhere.
You can contact them during your travel time, and even if you forget to share important information, you can contact them as soon as you remember.
Consider the disadvantages of introducing internal SNS
Although in-house SNS has many advantages, there are also some disadvantages. When submitting an internal SNS, you must also consider these disadvantages.
Installation costs and training costs are high.
Some in-house SNSs require an initial cost to introduce and a running cost each time they are used. In addition, in order for all employees to utilize the tools, it is necessary to teach them how to use them and to foster a culture of using them, which can mean training costs.
When introducing an internal SNS, it is necessary to select a tool while looking at the balance between effectiveness and cost.
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