Walk into a coffee shop almost anywhere and you’re bound to see this: a large chunk of the patrons staring into their mobile phones, their index fingers poised to scroll upwards in search of interesting news on their multiple feeds. Social media feeds, I mean. And it isn’t restricted to individuals of a certain age group or type. Granted that the millenial generation is more in tune with social media, but the previous generations X and Y are also on board. And that is the versatility of a good social media platform – to cater to the needs of various generations and therefore, preferences, likes, dislikes, interests, locales and more. All the while putting a face to a name (I can’t count the number of times have people come up to me saying, “I know we haven’t met, but I think I saw you on my friend’s feed!”). So, it was only a matter of time before large organizations realized the potential that was held within social media – to network, collaborate, share knowledge and connect.
The millennial workforce is unlike previous ones – a challenging career is a must, which brings with it rewards and career advancement. They require a strong understanding of the company’s vision and a platform for constant two-way communication with the senior management. In addition, they expect a highly technology enabled workplace that promotes innovation and a collaborative, transparent, participative organization culture. And as with any large, global company, like Infosys, they are spread out across the globe, either at corporate offices or client locations. Therefore, the need to connect with each other and with the larger organization is strong. This need must be addressed to build, engage and retain a productive workforce.
Infosys recognized this need early on in 2011, and introduced InfyBubble, the enterprise networking platform. The external world was embracing social networking, and the need for an internal platform was felt on the ground as well. Employees voiced the need to feel more connected with each other, their teams across the globe and learn more about others’ interests and ideas. Launched via just an email to the organization, InfyBubble was extremely popular and caught on quickly. At its peak, over 150,000 employees were registered on the platform, with hundreds of groups, blogs, posts and connections created. InfyBubble provided a face to each employee and brought them closer to each other based on common interest and skills, thereby giving employees the feeling that they are more than a mere employee number. It provided new avenues to share views, knowledge and opinion at the organization, business unit/department, region and even project level. Instant feedback loops were enabled through the chat and share option. InfyBubble was therefore a truly grassroots-driven platform.
But one feature which was missing on InfyBubble, and was integral to truly connecting a global, dispersed workforce was the “App”. This is where Yammer stepped in. Yammer held almost all the features available on InfyBubble, with the added advantage of being available on all Android, iOS and Windows smartphones. This was important for our employees who work within client offices with very little access to the Infosys network. Yammer was launched in early 2015 to the entire organization – a bold move in comparison to other enterprises who launched the platform in phases to their employees. Over 29,000 employees are active on Yammer. While InfyBubble was a free-flowing engagement platform, Yammer has one main aim at Infosys – to create and sustain a culture of innovation, in line with our business strategy. Projects are encouraged to connect and share knowledge on their innovative work, keeping client confidentiality in mind of course. Hobby groups and tech-interest groups are created. Internal communication is disseminated on Yammer, as are messages from the leaders themselves. And employees can “praise” others for good work done. Notifications via email and on the mobile app ensure that no communication is missed (ruling out the ever-looming #fomo – fear of missing out!). Feedback loops are even more instant here, and responded to by relevant teams no matter the time zone. Yammer and its usage is therefore truly global.
One could argue that internal social media in companies that work closely with external clients carries a certain amount of risk. That is true, but can be mitigated by a Social Media Policy, like is present at Infosys.
Ultimately, the aim of hosting and enabling the use of an internal social media platform is multifold:
– Connect a mobile-friendly, tech-hungry dispersed workforce around shared values and common purpose
– Encourage collaboration to build a culture of innovation, archive resources for the future and thereby increase efficiency
– Satisfy the need for hobbies and interests outside of work
– Build a safe, open and trust-worthy bridge between the leadership and employees
– Communicate organizational changes, strategy, internal news with employees in a free manner that is open to instant feedback
And so, the next time you see someone scrolling on their phones, don’t assume that they’re bored and “FB-stalking” their friends. They could be building the new strategy for a global corporation!
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