HR professionals exploit the potential of social media

HR is becoming the next key function after sales and marketing to explore the potential of social media and other Web 2.0 technologies as managers increasingly set their sights on acquiring and retaining high quality staff.
 
According to Rachel Philips, technology director for Oracle's Enterprise 2.0 collaboration software, HR professionals are now "starting to realise that productivity can be enhanced and motivation increased by providing staff with the right technology to enable them to work more effectively."
 
But to overcome resistance to change among less enthusiastic individuals, organisations must embed usage into their business processes and ensure that they understand the personal value of employing them.
 
Tazeeb Rajwani, a research fellow at the Cranfield School of Management, explained that introducing the software itself is a relatively straightforward process. "The hardest part", however, is changing human behaviour and motivating personnel to collaborate and use such technologies effectively.