Over the last few months we have seen a spate of news headlines indicating that more companies are blocking the use of social media in the workplace. Is this down to an Orwellian sense of paranoia surrounding new technologies or is there a business rationale behind these decisions?

In a survey out today, 63% of more than 4,000 respondents in 12 countries said that social media in the workplace represents a serious security risk, yet only 29% report having the necessary security controls in place to mitigate it. This theory is backed up by a piece in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal, where it is alleged that corporate spies are increasingly likely to use malware and social media to steal sensitive data and intellectual property.

So is the answer to block all use of social media channels in the hope that this will alleviate a new security risk? The answer is emphatically no. Companies that enforce such a policy will do so under the pretence that you’re here to work and keeping in touch with your friends and family is not what we pay you to do, and anyway you’re putting our data at risk, so it’s banned.

The philosophy of blocking doesn’t work on a number of levels. Firstly, the majority of those in their 20s in the workforce would have been educated online and social media is ingrained in their psyche, to prevent them from using it may be seen as a violation of their human rights. Well, probably not, but you get the gist. Secondly, social media is now a proven new business and customer engagement tool, to stop using it would be tantamount to throwing money down the drain. Thirdly, if you ban something, employees will just find a way around the policy and in doing so will probably put sensitive data more at risk.

Finally, it’s a communications channel, in a number of previous blogs I’ve banged the drum that social media is nothing more than this; it’s just another method of conveying thoughts and wisdoms to the outside world, if you put a gagging order in place the outcome can only be negative.

Business needs to move with the times, we do so much online now that organizations need to adapt and look to embrace new ways of working rather than pulling down the blinds and turning off all the lights.

Luddite (noun) any opponent of industrial change or innovation.

22 May, 2011

I’ve spoken about the highs. But with my club you also have to deal with the lows. Interestingly, we’ve managed to combine both in one season. What else would you expect? Euphoria followed by abject failure.

In terms of my relegation walk back to my house (I watched it at the pub), there were various things going through my head. One, I’d done this before, I think about three years ago. Two, I’m pretty drunk, and I need to try and walk properly (two minutes walk). Three, how is my son going to take the news (although a fellow season ticket holder Jacob had to watch it at home with his Mom, this was far too serious for an eight year old to experience).

I opened the door and the aforementioned son was in tears on the sofa.  Mom was consoling. I grunted an indignant acknowledgement that I was home, padded towards the kitchen and then circled aimlessly. Mom eventually came in and told me to talk to my grief stricken son. I grunted again and told her “that he’d better get used to it!”

That sounds awful doesn’t it! Actually, my mood softened quite quickly. I’d been telling everybody we’d get relegated for weeks, so it was no big surprise. Yet, the circumstances on the day were quite cruel. Anyway, Jacob had retired to his bedroom by now, so it was my time to face the monster that I had created. He was sitting in his bed still in tears, but in a bizarre way that ability to cry cheered me up. We cuddled and shared our disappointment, in a quivering voice Jacob pointed out that we would now lose some of “our key players”. I agreed, but countered that we would probably win more games in the Championship.

In a sense, this disappointment was long overdue. Relegation (he was too young to understand), followed by promotion on the final day of the season against Uncle Paul’s team, then we had the highest league finish since time began, then we won our first major trophy in my living memory (and we were there!)…But, it all had to end…

“Who do you think will go Daddy?”

“I’m not sure Jake, maybe Johnson and Foster. I’d keep one of Johnson or Dann”

“What about Gardner?” (he had Chuco on the back of his shirt the season before and I advised that Gardner might be a better choice for this season.)

“No, he’ll stay. He loves Birmingham.”

There were a few more spurious comments (he’s only eight) before the tears subsided.

“I’m sorry Daddy.”

“It’s ok son. We’ll be ok. Trust me.”

And that’s how it was left. I went to bed early that night. There was nothing more to say or do…

29 June, 2011

McLeish is now the manager of Aston Villa. Uncle Paul spent a day in Dubai with Big Eck and told me he was a sound bloke, very down to earth. Somebody you can have a beer with. He didn’t get on with Karren and David. And I like him for that. Does it bother me that he has crossed the divide? Not really…all the best to him!

Chris Hughton?  A popular appointment. Jacob and I wish him well. I just hope the board back the manager properly. We can all give ultimatums but if you make them unrealistic then you only have yourselves to blame.

One piece of advice for Chris from my eight year old son: “We need to score more goals.”

You know Chris, I think he may have a point.

Somebody got shot recently. The news spread online before it was announced by major networks. Twitter apparently experienced a high of 3,440 tweets per second as the news spread. A premiership footballer had an extramarital affair with some woman off Big Brother, according to Twitter he’s Welsh and apparently quite good (at football). A bloke who talks about cars quite a lot is also trying to suppress a story. It’s all there if you care to look online. We live in a new age don’t we? The communications landscape has changed to such a degree that PR consultants are not needed anymore. PR is dead, long live social media.

I don’t really believe that. Have I ever had a story that has had global significance? Not really. Am I constantly being called by tabloid journalists? No. Am I ever going to make front page news? Not unless I shoot somebody or bed a royal. Have I come across a client who wants to make their entire communications strategy social? No. So why is the PR world so worried about social media and the impact it’s having? Probably because we recognize its importance, but currently can’t predict to what extent it will change what we do. We can make assumptions, but technology has a way of changing everything and nobody can predict future advancements. Remember sending your first email? I do and that certainly did change things. Will social media have the same impact?

Twitter is an ideal mechanism for breaking news and networking. But it only works if your target audience is on Twitter and is receptive to the information you send it. Take manufacturing as an example. Do you think it is a sector that embraces change and leads the way in new communication techniques? I don’t. Yes, it has to be aware of product innovations and significant budget is allocated to research and development. But is it awash with Twitter hardened activists breaking news about the latest end-of-line warehousing game changer? Technology is crucial to many business models but not the way those models communicate.

You are always going to have sectors that lead the way and salivate over Twitter driven campaigns that break boundaries. But many sectors still aren’t convinced and the majority are currently happy to keep a watching brief.

However, the PR sector has quite rightly positioned itself as the main advocate of social media. It has had to change and take onboard new channels. It has had to learn to be more concise (about time too). It has had to become more interactive. It has had to learn to share. PR professionals are in the process of learning many new things, which is why the industry is nervous. It’s like learning a new language. Remember that first time you ordered steak and chips in French? It was uncomfortable, but necessary.

The shooting highlighted how far social media, and in particular Twitter, has been accepted but it also demonstrated to me the type of news that it is relevant for. When planning a PR campaign there are various messages that need to be communicated, some will have viral appeal where as others will be more suited to traditional channels. The upshot being that PR is right to take ownership of social media activity but it shouldn’t ignore its history. Some of the tools that we have always used are still very appropriate today.

Believe the hype, but don’t get too drunk on it.