Social Media & Networking - The Evolving Workforce
1. release: MA
Y 2011
Survey pop
ulation: 47,0
00
locations: E
urope&Afric
a
Social media and the changing
world of work
A EuropEAn pErspEctivE
2. : The Evolving Workforce
contents
3 social media/networking
4 introduction
5 the digital world of work
7 the rise of social networking
9 Public versus Private: the Pitfalls of social media
11 work or leisure: the real value of social media
2
3. release: MA
Y 2011
Survey pop
ulation: 47,
: The Evolving Workforce 000
locations: E
urope&Afric
a
t h E E v o lv i n g w o r k f o r c E : s o c i A l m E d i A / n E t w o r k i n g
fEAr it cEnsor it
26 %
are worried that material from
34%
edit content on their
social network sites to
their social networking Page could avoid career Problems
adversely imPact their career.
gen y is the age grouP most concerned
about Potential career fallout.
using it
25 %
sEArch for work
30% 35%
of those who use social media,
linkedin® and facebook® are the
most Preferred—only 3% use twitter®
using blogs or
sociAl nEtwork sitEs
only in thE AmEricAs
how job sEEkErs word-of-mouth is still the
ArE finding thAt
j b
number one way to find a job,
followed by online recruitment
25% online job boards AdvAncing cArEErs
20% word-of-mouth viA sociAl mEdiA
20% direct aPProaches from emPloyers
17% recruitment comPanies 23% generation y
7% Print advertisements
21% generation X
1% social media sites
11% other 21% baby boomers
3
4. : The Evolving Workforce
introduction
the emergence of social media and social networking – sites such as facebook, linkedin, twitter and blogs – have changed the nature of social
interaction. they have also had a major impact on the world of work and recruitment. we have never seen as much information about employers,
enterprises and individuals circulating in a virtual neighbourhood. this explosion of content is also creating its own digital trail that can be accessed
for years into the future. The way that individuals and firms deploy this information has important implications for all players. The Kelly Global
workforce index (kgwi) examined the views of more than 47,000 people from 17 countries across europe and africa to see how social media is
impacting the world of work.
survey respondents ranged in age from 18 to 65 and • impact of social network content on careers:
comprised the three generational groups: generation more than a quarter (26%) of respondents believe
y (age 18 – 29), generation X (age 30 – 47), and the that content from their personal pages on social
baby boomer generation (age 48 – 65). respondents networking sites could negatively impact their
were either employed within a variety of industries, careers.
ranging from information technology to finance, or
• controlling social networking content:
were unemployed and searching for future work
approximately one-in-three respondents (34%)
opportunities. Key findings of the survey were as
modify content on their social networking sites to
follows:
avoid potential career problems.
• Methods of finding work: one quarter of
• use of social media for career development: more
respondents gained their last job by using online
than one-in-five (22%) respondents say it’s essential
job boards, the single, largest source of jobs,
to be involved in social media to advance their
followed by “word-of-mouth” referrals and direct
careers.
approaches from employers (both 20%), recruitment
firms (17%), “other” methods (11%), print • use of social media in the workplace: 27% of
advertisements (7%), and social media sites (1%). respon-dents say their employer regulates the use
of social media in the workplace.
• social networking for recruitment: a quarter of
partici-pants use social networking sites to search • time spent on social media: contrary to popular
for jobs. belief, many people don’t use social networking
sites for extended periods of time. more than two
• most popular social networking sites for job
thirds (70%) of respondents use social networking
searches: facebook and linkedin are the most
sites for less than an hour a day, and only 13%
popular social networking tools used to search for
spend more than an hour per day online.
jobs.
4
5. : The Evolving Workforce
01
the advent of social networking has fundamentally changed the way people search for work and exchange
information about career opportunities. the technology is re-shaping the job search landscape and is throwing up
some intriguing challenges for employees and employers alike.
thE digitAl world of work how did you secure your most recent job? gEnErAtion y
there is a quiet revolution taking place in the way that (by generation) gEnErAtion X
people look for work. not so long ago, it was common recruitment comPany
bAby boomErs
17%
for job hunters to go door-to-door. that was replaced 17%
All gEnErAtions
16%
by the telephone. now, the bulk of activity is occurring 17%
in the digital world, with people going online to both
direct aPProach by emPloyer
find work and advance their careers. 18%
21%
online job boards have become the dominant way that 23%
20%
people find work in virtually all parts of the world, out-
stripping other avenues such as direct hiring, referrals Print advertisement
and traditional print advertising. 4%
8%
10%
7%
word-of-mouth
21%
20%
17%
20%
social media site
1%
1%
1%
1%
online job board
29%
23%
19%
25%
other
10%
11%
13%
5 11%
6. : The Evolving Workforce
one quarter of respondents in the emea region gained the contact center/customer service sector, together with the
their last job by using online job boards, the single larg- it industry are at the fore when it comes to the use of online
est source of jobs, followed by “word-of-mouth” refer- platforms for work. but employees across all sectors have
rals and direct approaches from employers (both 20%), largely embraced digital recruitment, and it’s easy to see why.
recruitment firms (17%), “other” methods (11%), print online job boards enable people to search in their own time,
advertisements (7%), and social media sites (1%). to learn more about particular job choices, and to sort and
across each of the working-age generations - gen y filter according to personal preferences and career options.
(aged 18-29), gen X (aged 30-47) and baby boomers there is an element of convenience, accessibility and person-
(aged 48-65) – online job boards constituted the major alisation afforded by online recruitment.
means of securing work. yet gen y is more active in the there is also a sense in which “searching” on an online job
use of online job boards than their older counterparts. board is not necessarily seen as searching at all, because it
is passive and non-committal. individuals can browse and
how did you secure your most recent job? research job alternatives to an extent not possible with print
(% through online job board) advertisements, without having to signal any intention with a
contAct cEntEr/customEr sErvicE 38% recruiter or a prospective employer.
77% it 30% an employee who is considering a new position or a job
businEss sErvicEs 27% switch now has the advantage of tapping into a vast amount
finAnciAl sErvicEs 27% of information about a particular position, well before they
sciEncE/phArmAcEuticAl 85%
26% need to make their first contact. They can even discuss the
EnginEEring 25% merits of an employer with others in online forums, and learn
rEtAil 25% beforehand what others have to say about the position and
trAnsport/distribution 23% the organisation.
trAvEl/lEisurE 23% The survey findings show how rapidly the world of work has
govErnmEnt 22% shifted, from one which was largely based around advertising
EducAtion 22% in newspapers, to one now dominated by the digital space.
hospitAlity 22% it is a development that has shifted some of the bargaining
mAnufActuring 19%
power in the recruitment equation. employees now have
oil/gAs 19%
much greater capacity to know more about particular jobs
utilitiEs 18%
and employers;
to understand exactly the skills needed; to learn what exist-
ing employees think; to determine how they would fit; and to
assess their bargaining strength.
the virtual world of recruitment has not only changed the way
that organisations locate talent but has put a good deal more
negotiating power into the hands of those looking for work.
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7. : The Evolving Workforce
02
thE risE of sociAl nEtworking
Social networking is occupying a growing place in the recruitment field. Sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter
and blogs are all becoming more important as people discuss jobs, and exchange opinions about work and career
choices.
even though only a small number of people actually se- in emea, the most popular social networking sites to
cured their most recent job through a social networking find work are Facebook and LinkedIn, preferred by
site, there is a large proportion of the population that is 35 percent and 30 percent respectively. a further 23
scouring these sites looking for future work opportuni- percent use “other” sites, 9 percent use blogs, and 2
ties. one quarter of respondents say that they search percent use twitter. facebook is the overwhelming pref-
for work using blogs or social network sites such as erence of gen y participants. gen X and baby boomers
facebook, linkedin and twitter. are much more evenly divided between facebook and
these sites allow candidates to focus exactly on the job linkedin, and also use a variety of specialist blogs.
they want, even the company they want to work with.
which social networking sites do you use
It’s not just the younger generations who are active on
to search for jobs?
these sites. older workers are using social media and
blogs to identify job openings. facebook gEnErAtion y
43%
32%
43% gEnErAtion X
do you search for jobs on social networking? 29%
35% bAby boomErs
(%yes)
twitter All gEnErAtions
3%
22% 2%
2%
26% 2%
29% linkedin
25%
25% 34%
27%
30%
blogs
9%
9%
13%
9%
other
21%
24%
29%
7 23%
8. : The Evolving Workforce
in essence, the digital revolution has given rise to a
very active and robust set of conversations about work,
occurring in a network of digital communities, based
around particular businesses, industry sectors, and inter-
est groups. these are not just about jobs in a narrow
sense, but touch on satisfaction with work, work-life
balance, and the strategies that organisations are using
to attract and retain the best talent. for the most, part,
they are also discreet and “under the radar”.
just as the sounds of marine life are inaudible to the
human ear, these discussions often don’t penetrate the
wider world, but they have meaning and resonance to
those listening because they occur within a trusted in-
ner circle.
both positive and negative views about individual em-
ployers and jobs reverberate around this chamber, and
have a high degree of credibility. it is rare for someone
considering a work opportunity not to seek input or
share comments with others in their online network.
from an employer perspective, it makes sense to be
attuned to what is being said in these communities
because it can have a critical impact on how they are
perceived in the market, and how attractive they are as
preferred places to work.
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9. : The Evolving Workforce
03
public vErsus privAtE: thE pitfAlls of sociAl mEdiA
As people flock to social media sites to engage with friends and colleagues, there is an undercurrent of concern
about how this newest form of interaction can adversely impact individuals and careers.
do you worry that material from your social the sensitivity around social networking is
networking Page could adversely imPact your understandable. there have been a host of media
career? (%yes) stories of how embarrassing photos or comments on
sites such as Facebook have hurt people’s careers.
27% there is no question that negative content can cause
26% embarrassment in a work setting. material that may
23% appear harmless fun can send an altogether different
message to work colleagues and associates. it may also
26%
remain online for many years after being posted, and
many say they are worried about the negative may be all but impossible to erase.
consequences of personal content causing embarras- approximately one-third of respondents admit to
sment and career fallout. there are just as many who deliberately editing or censoring content on their social
are deliberately censoring or editing their personal sites networking sites in order to avoid career problems.
to avoid this content having career impacts. all generations are active in taking steps to control
more than a quarter of respondents (26 percent) are the content of their social networking pages, but
worried that material from their social networking page generation y is the most likely to be taking deliberate
could adversely impact their career. all generations steps to remove or edit potentially damaging content.
share concerns about the potential career fallout from
social networking content.
9
10. : The Evolving Workforce
do you deiberately censor content on your it is not just an issue for employees and candidates.
social networking site in order to avoid employers also need to think carefully about the use of
career Problems? (% yes) personal content of social media sites.
relying too heavily on information on facebook
36% or linkedin can be a trap. if it contains glowing
33% recommendations from friends or relatives, it’s hardly
30% likely to be totally objective. there may also be content
that is incorrect, exaggerated or out of date.
34%
for all sides, the emergence of social media has
opened up a new world of opportunity, but the ground
the real impact of this material on jobs and career rules are still a “work-in-progress” when it comes to
prospects is still a grey area. indeed, the use that can making critical employment judgements.
be made of such material is problematic. in certain
countries and jurisdictions, it is not permitted to deny a
person a job or discriminate against them on the basis
of personal content on their social networking site.
even so, it would be a rare individual who was
prepared to share their private, unguarded moments
with their professional colleagues. for that reason,
it’s recommended that employees remain on guard,
to keep their social and business networks separate,
and to use privacy and security settings to protect
themselves.
What’s clear is that many younger workers and even
those not yet in the workforce are probably unaware of
the problems that some content may cause many years
into the future. no-one can be certain whether or not a
future employer will delve into an individual’s personal
site to make work-related evaluations.
10
11. : The Evolving Workforce
04
work or lEisurE: thE rEAl vAluE of sociAl mEdiA
In an age where many people have an online “profile”, it comes as no surprise that these identities are being put to
use in the world of work. the internet, and social media in particular, have provided the opportunity for individuals to
stand out in a crowded marketplace, with their own personal profiles or “branding”. It is becoming accepted wisdom
that an active online persona is critical to career advancement.
More than one-in-five respondents believe it is essential do you feel it is essential to be active on social
to be active on social media in order to advance their media in order to advance your career? (% yes)
careers. generation y are the most likely to be active sciEncE/phArmAcEuticAl 19%
online for career development. 77% oil/gAs it 19%
EnginEEring businEss sErvicEs 19%
do you feel it is essential to be active on social
trAnsport/distribution 20%
media in order to advance your career?
mAnufActuring 85%
20%
(% yes)
hospitAlity 20%
23% finAnciAl sErvicEs 20%
contAct cEntEr/customEr sErvicE 20%
21%
utilitiEs 21%
21%
cEntrAl/locAl govErnmEnt 21%
22%
rEtAil 23%
EducAtion 23%
it 24%
It’s also clear that certain industries such as Travel/
businEss sErvicEs 24%
leisure, business services and information technol-
trAvEl/lEisurE 25%
ogy stand out in the way that they use social media to
engage in online discussions.
It’s no surprise that social media has become an es-
sential part of the kit-bag of the well-rounded contem-
porary executive. it makes the task of engaging with
professional colleagues more convenient, and perhaps
avoids the need for tiresome, evening social engage-
ments. much better to demonstrate your networking
prowess from the comfort of your home, at a time of
your choosing.
11
12. : The Evolving Workforce
so should this same level of engagement be permitted some employers may see it as a legitimate form of
while at work? employee engagement (particularly if they have a large
many employers have introduced restrictions of social gen y workforce), while others will view it as a waste of
media in the workplace. some 27 percent of respon- time.
dents say that their employers have a social media or It’s probably worth recalling that restrictions on use of
social networking policy that regulates use at work. the Internet at work were once commonplace, but it’s
hard to imagine many businesses doing so today. social
does your emPloyer have a social media Policy media may evolve the same way.
that regulates use at work? (% yes) and despite the immense popularity of social network-
ing, the vast majority of respondents (70 percent) spend
27%
an hour or less each day on social media sites, while 17
28% percent spend no time at all. only 13 percent spend an
23% hour or more each day.
27% how much time do you sPend
on social media sites each day?
the question of whether social media is a valid work-
less than 30 minutes
place tool will surely depend on the nature of the work
41%
and the purposes for which it is being used. many busi- 48%
47%
nesses now have active social networking sites where 45%
they communicate with customers and stakeholders.
30 minutes - 1 hour
but in certain industries, social networking by employ- 30%
22%
ees will be hard to justify. this will throw up some hard 19%
questions for employers and employees alike: what 25%
is the difference between “tweeting” and a personal
1-2 hours
phone call? is it permissible to chat with family or 12%
friends for legitimate reasons? what is a reasonable 7%
7%
time to spend on personal social media while at work? 9%
more than 2 hours
6%
3%
3%
4%
never
11%
20%
24%
17%
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13. : The Evolving Workforce
generation y spend the largest amount of time en-
gaged in social networking. some 18 percent of gener-
ation y spend an hour or more each day, compared with
10 percent of generation X and baby boomers.
there is no question that gen y is comfortable with
social media. arguably, gen X is at least as comfortable,
but perhaps more cautious, knowing the risks contained
in an unguarded comment or photo.
Perhaps the evolution of social media will breed a new
wave of online veteran, adept at quarantining work
from leisure, and avoiding the traps that can imperil
their professional reputation.
there will also be obligations that fall on the operators
of social media platforms. what rights will an employee
who is sacked because of social media indiscretions
have against the site’s operator?
these issues will spawn new rules, protocols and eti-
quette. already the emergence of social media has in-
delibly changed the world of work, and there’s no doubt
that it’s just the beginning.
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