Kimberly Tate-Nuwar is internal communications manager for LexisNexis.
We began internal blogging at LexisNexis last October, which coincided with the launch of our new Intranet. That’s right. Internal blogging.
After going through a large acquisition, we needed to bring the two cultures together, and social media presented a good platform to get people talking to one another.
In less than six months, there are more than 60 bloggers on the site with more than 280 employee comments. Employees are free to post whatever they like, as long as it doesn’t infringe on the company’s Code of Conduct.
Some employees write about inspirational matters or why they volunteer. Some departments use blogs as their main communication tool to their entire company. For instance, a group in technology educates employees on the latest virus attacks, how to keep PCs safe, security issues, and more. Others use the platform for thought leadership. For example, someone might have gone to a conference or read an article that made them think about the business, and share their insights via a blog post. Our senior leaders use it as a recognition tool to say “great job” to a business or a team.
In the end, a blog gets employees talking, and gives you, the communicator, the invaluable employee story. We know we’ve accomplished something when an employee in a satellite office states that she now feels part of a bigger group—not just her office. Gotta love that.
Implementing Social Media 101
If you are looking into implementing blogging or any social media, here are a few do’s and don’ts.
- Don’t put too many rules on it.
- Do find people who like to use social media and get them on board early to build content and recruit others.
- Don’t worry if everyone doesn’t show up to the party. There are still many people who don’t know what to do and are watching what others are writing.
- Do recognize and/or reward people for posting content.
- Do keep promoting the fact that tools are available and how to use them. Have an external social media policy to remind people that what is good for inside work, may not be applicable for the public to read.
Internal blogging gives employees a place to show off what they hold dear and do best. It allows them to not only showcase the work they’re doing, or educate employees about a topic, but to write about their passions and demonstrate their own thought leadership. It creates engagement that historically took years to build.
Does your organization have an internal blog? Are you thinking about doing one? What would you add?
Kimberly Tate-Nuwar is internal communications manager for LexisNexis. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn.