Crush Email Overload by Shifting to an Enterprise Social Network

Crush Email Overload by Shifting to an Enterprise Social Network Value of Enterprise Social Networks Email overload is a common gripe of countless employees. According to a recent study by the Radicati Group, employees send and receive an estimated 110 emails a day, and it’s expected to increase to 125 by 2015. Email hasnt gotten easier to manage its gotten harder! Building an enterprise social network might just be the answer to your problems. Heres why: McKinsey estimates that 25 to 30 percent of total email time could be saved if a company leveraged an enterprise social network as their principle communications channel. Additional benefits of social networks include increased collaboration, knowledge sharing, and employee engagement as well as improved productivity. “Reply All” is NOT Collaboration Have your ever worked on a team that emits a steady stream of emails throughout the day fueled by the infamous “Reply All” button? Recently, it took me over 10 minutes to sift through 20+ messages to uncover the core message and my assigned next steps. Arrgh! Email is downright inefficient for group communications, plus you run the risk of leaving a key employee off of the distribution list, and compromising the project. Social networks such as IBM Connections, Yammer, Jive, Chatter, MoxieSpaces, NewsGator, tibbr, SocialCast, etc. are better equip to manage internal communications and project collaboration. Organizational announcements can be broadcasted on the online network and employees can post comments. Project teams can set up shared spaces to post announcements, timelines, action items, deadlines, etc. plus solicit input and encourage brainstorming and discussion. File sharing features ensure that revisions are synced and you’re working on the most up-to-date copy. Employees can locate required knowledge faster, ask for specific input and reduce unwanted responses generated from the generic “Reply All”. The online space evolves into where you go to find all of your information and how you communicate, verse your email inbox. Value of Enterprise Social Networks Online collaboration tools provide a new level of transparency and reduce the reliance on email. A recent Gartner Report predicted that more than 50% of large companies would have enterprise social networks by 2015. Do you think enterprise social networks can end our love-hate relationship with email? I look forward to your comments.