French giant Atos has just announced a ban on internal emails. Others are bound to follow suit. So is this the end of internal emails?
According to BusinessInsider, the company intends to do away completely with internal email, instead opting for instant messaging and Facebook-like communication.
I’ve also been working on a project recently with a large financial services institution in the UK – they’re looking at using these technologies for internal communications too. The prevalence of Facebook and instant messaging has changed the game for communication on the whole, and now business is waking up to the potential. Not just that, internal users are demanding it.
Workers are becoming so adept at using social-media platforms that business really has to look at the most effective and efficient means of communication. Organizations are a social enterprise, whether they see themselves that way or not, and social enterprise tools are driving the agenda.
So does this mean you will be replacing your internal email, too?
I think not, in the short-term. Atos are making a brave step, and because of their deliberate and energetic move towards social enterprise functions, they’re ready to make the move.
Most organizations are not, to be blunt.
But I predict over the next 5 years, there will be a big change.
And here is YOUR opportunity.
If you can see the benefit to your organization of using social enterprise technology, you can drive the debate. Like any business change, there needs to be a good case for it… normally stated in increased revenue, reduction in costs, increased profit, better customer service, faster delivery, etc.
It can be a struggle, I admit, to build this case. Straight away, at least. Until you’ve ‘had a go’, it’s hard to measure what the benefit will be. And, of course, there will be the cynics who are scared of change to stifle progress.
But we all have to start somewhere. One thing I’ve seen that works is to begin developing an enterprise community around tools like Facebook and (preferably) LinkedIn. Test the appetite; test the culture; test the technology. And be prepared for frustration – you won’t change things overnight!
