1. Linkedin groups are pages within the Linkedin site that allow professionals within the same field to bounce ideas off of one another. Professionals can post and find jobs on these group pages along with giving and taking advice from others in their field.
These groups can provide valuable networking opportunities for firms. They allow firms to find knowledgeable future employees and establish a repertoire with possible clients. Members of Linkedin groups can take polls of members to determine how well the services of their company are viewed by other influential members in a specific field. Linked in groups create company leads and allow members to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new technology and ideas within the industry.
You can create a Linkedin group by simply choosing the ‘create a group’ button under interests on your Linkedin page. To join an already existing group an individual can either accept an invitation from a current member or search for and join any group of his or her choosing. The creator of the group has control over the membership, subgroups, discussions and settings of the group forum by use of the management tab on the creators Linkedin homepage under interests.
2. Facebook usage among employees can be monitored and even limited if a firm so desires, but that is not the approach that I would take. Instead I would provide incentives for employees to use their social media forums to benefit the company, such as bonuses given to employees that bring in business via social media. I would not restrict usage unless the work of a given employee is suffering. If all assignments are completed on time and well done I see no reason to restrict employees Facebook time.
3. Personally I would make this into a companywide concern. Emphasize that the inappropriate content posted by employees reflects badly upon the company as a whole and foster a cultural that revolves around company pride. I would make sure that employees are well educated regarding the impact of their social media decisions. I would also use an incentive plan that keeps employees accountable to one another such as restricting the Facebook time of all employees if inappropriate content is being posted online, even if only by a single person.4. I would base my response to this question on the reputation the company wants to foster. If I was the owner of a chain of fast food restaurants I would suggest creating unique and entertaining videos that drawn in viewers while encouraging employees to share the page with their ‘friends’ via social media. If I worked for a financial advising firm I would suggest linking the page to a Linkedin group and posting professional and informative videos about the firm’s services on the site in an attempt to draw in clients. Viewers will appreciate the effort a firm puts into creating a video. In the case of a professional firm the video needs to reflect the professionalism with which the firm conducts itself. In the case of a less established or more casual firm any attempt at creativity within the video will probably cause customer appreciation.
References
Holtsnider, B., & Jaffe, B. (2012). It manager's handbook getting your new job done (3rd ed.). Waltham, MA: Morgan Kaufmann.
