Today’s workforce is more tech savvy than ever. Gen Xers and millenials want more freedom in their jobs, along with continuous access to social networks, instant messaging, and a host of Web 2.0 technology. Traditional corporate cultures are not well suited to deal with these issues. Command and control breaks down as employees find ways to circumvent security measures put into place by IT. They demand the ability to be continuously connected with their online counterparts. In this new world of open collaboration, how do corporations adapt their culture to harness the creativity of their workforce, and take advantage of these extended networks?
It depends, as it always does.
As the CEO of a development firm starting to build an online suite of products, of course I don’t want our employees telling everyone they know what products we are working on and how we’re going about it.
As the CEO of a development firm that uses open source technology, I want us to give back to our community. This comes in the form of blog posts, how-to articles, holding events, contributing at user groups, and being good corporate citizens.
I also understand that a single person only has so much knowledge, and going to others can drastically reduce the learning curve. Simultaneously, I understand that that same person could spend countless hours talking with others on social networks and IM, and not getting things done.
So how do you reconcile all of this?
As Ronald Reagan once said, “trust, but verify.”
A sad fact is that trust is lacking in a lot of companies.
Education and structure. Education and structure are key.
Help your employees understand what is and isn’t alright to discuss with their “friends.” Set the boundaries, and make them clear. Ensure they know that spending large amounts of time online and not doing their work could result in negative consequences. Let them know what “lot’s of time” means. Let them know what the consequences will be. Let them know your expectations.
Talk with them. Learn what resources they are using to help them do their jobs better. Provide these resources. Give them more.
And then, verify. Ensure that productivity and quality remain high.
Create the structure, educate on the boundaries, and verify the results. After all, two heads are better than one, and many are better than two.
