How Can Social Media Create a Sense of Community Among Employees?
To explore how social media can foster a sense of community among employees, we asked social media marketers and marketing experts for their best strategies. From spotlighting outstanding team members to launching a company blog, here are the top ten ways these professionals suggest using social media to build community in the workplace.
- Spotlight Outstanding Team Members
- Engage With Employee Achievements
- Create Private Groups for Engagement
- Celebrate Cultural Diversity Online
- Conduct Polls and Surveys
- Leverage Employee-Generated Content
- Showcase Behind-the-Scenes Work
- Host Virtual Coffee Breaks
- Organize Interactive Q&A Sessions
- Launch a Company Blog
Spotlight Outstanding Team Members
The use of social media platforms can go a long way in fostering a sense of community among employees.
In order to boost team morale, it’s always a great idea to spotlight a team member who’s doing a great job. This can come in the form of an in-feed post containing a photo of the employee and a blurb about what they’ve done that’s so outstanding!
Encouraging other employees to engage with these posts will, in turn, create a deeper sense of community and will also promote outstanding work within a team.
Grace Vigorito
Social Media Marketer
Engage With Employee Achievements
Social media can be used as a tool to drive employee recognition.
When employees are promoted and announce it on LinkedIn, brands should engage with those posts by liking and commenting on them.
LinkedIn is a great place to publicly recognize employees for their accomplishments.
Additionally, when employees hit milestones, like being at a company for over a year, brands should give them a shout-out on their company social channels.
Employees will return the favor by sharing your content with their colleagues and their wider network.
Rashad Alaiyan
Social Media Marketer
Create Private Groups for Engagement
Social media can be a powerful tool for creating a sense of community among employees by fostering interaction, sharing common interests, and celebrating achievements in a more relaxed and accessible environment. One effective strategy is to establish private groups or channels on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Slack that are dedicated exclusively to employee engagement and communication.
In these private groups, employees can share updates, celebrate personal milestones like birthdays or work anniversaries, and acknowledge each other’s professional achievements. This not only helps in building a supportive and positive workplace culture but also encourages a sense of belonging and team spirit.
For example, at my company, we use a dedicated Slack channel for daily non-work-related interactions among team members. We encourage employees to share personal news, photos from team outings, or even interesting articles and videos. We also have regular virtual events such as photo contests, quizzes, and “virtual coffee breaks” where employees can connect and engage in light-hearted conversations outside of their work responsibilities.
These activities have significantly enhanced the sense of community within our team, making remote employees feel as connected as those in the office. This has been especially valuable in maintaining morale and engagement through periods of remote working and social distancing.
Furthermore, using social media to highlight employee contributions and successes publicly within the company can reinforce a culture of recognition and appreciation. It ensures that employees feel valued and seen, which is crucial for long-term employee satisfaction and retention. Through strategic use of social media, companies can cultivate a vibrant, supportive community that transcends physical workplace boundaries.
Omer Lewinsohn
General Manager, Marketing Expert, Management.org
Celebrate Cultural Diversity Online
Celebrating and honoring cultural diversity is a vital part of our organization, with social media being an essential tool. We encourage all employees to share their unique traditions and experiences on various platforms, allowing us to showcase them throughout the world.
By doing so, we can enlighten others about various cultures while promoting harmony among those involved. Our diverse workforce’s richness is reflected through celebrations of holidays from different backgrounds found worldwide and regularly displayed on our online community pages.
Through this recognition effort that continuously brings people together despite physical-distance barriers or language dissimilarities by providing mutual respect for each other, we encourage a better understanding between team members for more meaningful collaborations, fostering stronger bonds amongst individuals within teams regardless of boundaries nations place upon themselves, which undoubtedly cultivates relationships built around true admiration towards one another as global citizens.
Jason Marshall
CMO & Executive P&L Leader, Huntress
Conduct Polls and Surveys
By conducting polls and surveys on social media, we foster a sense of community among our employees. This inclusive approach allows everyone to have a say in the decision-making process, thereby encouraging participation and increasing employee morale. Furthermore, sharing the outcomes and actions taken based on these surveys is essential for ensuring that feedback is acted upon promptly—thus building trust between management and staff members alike. Ultimately, this transparent communication strengthens our team’s bond as workers see their contributions making an impact within the organization.
Chris Aubeeluck
Head of Sales and Marketing, Osbornes Law
Leverage Employee-Generated Content
In such a culture-driven, positive way, it can leverage spirits to commune together digitally. It’s pretty cool. In short, yes, social media is a powerful tool for building culture, company mindset, and, simply put, fun—to drive engagement with each other and create employee “brand advocates,” if you will.
Take Kohl’s, for example. I used to work in their internal communications department. While I was there, they successfully leveraged several platforms (trial and error on which worked) in creating a better sense of belonging across all regions, stores, etc. Kohl’s does this by showcasing submitted and #tagged content, well-written, non-snooze employee spotlights, sharing behind-the-scenes store life (a big hit), and consistently through internal channels encouraging employee-generated content.
It was a snowball that, once it got started, really didn’t need much push from the internal side; however, this did take years to get to that point. Social media in employee community building not only boosts morale but also reinforces the company culture and values.
Megan White
Corporate Communications Specialist
Showcase Behind-the-Scenes Work
One of the strengths of social media is its ability to grant unfettered access to what a job looks like from behind the scenes, and using these platforms to highlight your team members’ hard work and achievements is a great way to utilize it and build community among your employees. In large and even smaller companies, team members are not always familiar with what their fellow employees are doing and the hard work they put in each and every day.
Using social media to highlight an employee’s responsibilities, their contributions to the operations of the business, times when they went above and beyond, and their achievements is a great way to create appreciation between team members. It is in using social media to showcase what goes on behind the scenes of your many team members that recognizes their abilities and hard work, and builds community in the process.
Jessica Plaskoff
Director of Marketing, One Week Bath
Host Virtual Coffee Breaks
We enhance our sense of community by hosting virtual coffee breaks on social media platforms, providing a space for employees to chat casually and build stronger connections. These breaks allow team members to interact in a relaxed setting, which is especially important for remote employees who might miss out on the casual office conversations that typically build relationships.
During these sessions, we encourage everyone to share stories, discuss their interests, or even exchange light-hearted banter, which helps to humanize our work environment. The informal nature of these interactions makes it easier for employees to connect on a personal level, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual support.
By making these virtual coffee breaks a regular part of our schedule, we ensure that our team remains cohesive and engaged, even when working from different locations.
Albert Kim
VP of Talent, Checkr
Organize Interactive Q&A Sessions
Social media can create a sense of community among employees by hosting interactive Q&A sessions where they can directly engage with leadership. These sessions allow employees to ask questions and receive real-time answers, which fosters a culture of openness and transparency. By making leadership more accessible, it builds trust and helps employees feel more connected to the organization. The impact is a more engaged and informed workforce, where everyone feels heard and valued.
Alexander Brandrup
Plant Ambassador, Co-Founder, Neurogan Health
Launch a Company Blog
Launch a company blog or a similar platform on social media that invites employees to share their experiences and insights. Promote it as a space for discussing both successes and challenges. Regularly featuring employee posts not only encourages participation but also fosters a strong sense of community.
This approach enhances internal communication, celebrates diverse perspectives, and strengthens team bonds, ultimately contributing to a more cohesive and supportive work environment. By leveraging social media in this way, you can create an atmosphere where employees feel connected and valued, which drives engagement and fosters a positive organizational culture.
Jeffrey Pitrak
Marketing Account Manager, Transient Specialists
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