Social networking predates people. It is not a new idea but it is getting increased focus in business and our personal lives because of the capabilities that the Web provides. However, on the business side the emphasis on technology can provide obstacles to adoption. I recently spoke with Anne Berkowitch, CEO at SelectMinds, a provider of corporate social networking solutions about her experiences in creating and hosting online social networks for large brands such as IBM, Dow Chemical and Deloitte.

SelectMinds has provided social networking platforms for employees to support innovation and engagement, and for former employees to enhance recruiting and business development.  It began in 2000 as a recruiting solution through networking with company alumni before the current advances in social networking technology. This has given the company an opportunity to grow up with the field and experience what works and what fails.

Anne said that when a social network is deployed internally separate from the workflow, it does not tend to drive productivity, as employees do not engage. There needs to be a compelling reason apart from the technology to make it work. It cannot be implemented as a utility without a specific value proposition tied to work processes. I am in strong agreement here as it correlates with my own experiences with knowledge management.

The same issue applies for alumni networks, as there needs to be a strong alumni culture as a backdrop to an online network.  Often the two are developed simultaneously. The organization must view employee relationships as “lifelong” relationships – ones that don’t end the day an employee leaves to pursue other opportunities. The online network needs to be seen as a benefit by former employees.  The technology alone cannot create this culture; it can only support and better enable the culture. There needs to be a sense of trust between former employees and the enterprise if the enterprise is to become the sponsor and benefit from the interaction.  This issue should be addressed before the technology is brought out.

Anne said that she has seen some exceptions to the workflow recently with the economic downturn. Two of her clients have created social networks across their enterprise to serve as broad “water coolers’ to foster greater employee engagement to help weather difficult times. However, once again we see a strong need that is supported by the technology and not the technology creating the need.

Companies who are interested in implementing the new social networking solutions need to start by identifying a business problem. This premise is almost as old as people but it so often ignored that we need to keep raising it. Every time there is a new hot technology, it can step on its own toes if we are not careful.

We also discussed the possibility of a Chief Social Networking Officer emerging. Anne said that while she had not yet seen this role in a formal sense someone at the C level should become the sponsor of any significant networking efforts and some one just below this level, outside of IT, should be assigned to manage it full time.  Again, this correlates with my knowledge management experience.

Anne’s experience is appreciated. I will be speaking with her again to learn more about the specifics of SelectMinds and will provide this conversation in a subsequent AppGap post.