Email is not enough, i.e. modern group work tools ...

The basic method of electronic communication in enterprises in Poland is the use of e-mail messages. At the same time, in private applications, a much wider range of electronic media is used, such as Facebook, Skype, Google+, Hang-out, ChatOn, Twitter and good old SMS messages. In this document, we will consider whether and how the cooperation tools in the company can be enriched with functionalities used in social media.

It should be assumed that free communication tools are chosen by millions of users because of their advantages. Let's consider what features of the above-mentioned solutions make their use so common.

Communication tools can be divided into synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous communication takes place in real time, an example of which is… a conversation during a meeting. However, as technology advances, other opportunities have emerged, such as radio and telephone connections, videoconferencing, or chats. The basic feature of synchronous communication is immediate interaction between its participants, which is not possible with asynchronous communication. In the past, most long-distance contacts were asynchronous, and paper correspondence was the only medium available. Currently, technology allows for stable asynchronous communication between remote locations also by other methods. The advantage of this type of cooperation is that its participants do not have to participate in it at the same time.

Below we present the advantages and disadvantages of each type of communication.

Use of synchronous communication tools

Advantages:

• Real-time interaction,
• Instant replies and feedbacks,
• Many available solutions (also free),
• Video conferencing allows the transmission of intonation and body language,
• Low costs when using remote communication technology,
• Ease of documenting the course of communication,
• Motivation and commitment,
• Of great importance for the implementation of social behavior.

Defects:

• Limiting the possibility of transmitting complex problems,
• Inability to consider positions during communication,
• Text messages do not convey intonation and body language,
• Dependence on technical problems,
• High commitment of employees' time,
• One-to-many communication requires the use of advanced technologies.

Use of asynchronous communication tools

Advantages:

• Availability of colleagues anytime and anywhere,
• Availability of various tools and media,
• Ease of documenting the course of communication,
• Ease of one-to-one and one-to-many communication,
• Possibility to rethink your own position,
• The possibility of participation of very large groups,
• Increased opportunities to present a variety of views,
• Avoidance of undesirable behavior of interaction participants.

Defects:

• No immediate feedback,
• Difficulty tracking the course and content of extensive interactions,
• Information must be well organized and searchable to be useful,
• Risk of misinterpretation of the content provided,
• Frequent lack of social behavior,
• Lower involvement of participants,
• The inactivity of the participants may lead to the impoverishment of the content of the discussion.

Manufacturers offer group work environments that support such functionalities as:

• E-mail,
• Instant messaging,
• Instant meetings,
• Audio / video over IP,
• Knowledge management, i.e. discussion forums, wikipedies, blogs,
• Personal profiles,
• Notice boards.

All the solutions mentioned above are available on stationary and mobile platforms, which allows for the effective participation of employees who are also on the road and in other places outside the company.

The application areas of the above functions may be as follows:

1. E-mail is an excellent tool for communication with external contractors, in particular with those with whom we have occasional contact or do not want to implement other communication tools. The disadvantage of communicating by e-mail can be the long communication time in days. Our communication partner may not respond immediately because he receives even several dozen parcels a day, and ours may not even notice or give it the right priority.
2. Instant messaging (instant messaging, chat) allows real-time communication, during which it is necessary to make immediate arrangements. Multiple users can participate in this type of communication, it is very fast and ensures that the activities of many people are synchronized. Often the functionality of Instant Messaging solutions is complemented by the ability to transfer files and screenshots. There is also a record of the course of communication, which allows you to recall the arrangements made.
3. In fact, instant meetings (online meetings) complement Instant Messaging solutions with one-to-many audio and video communications and real-time screen and application sharing. It is therefore possible to conduct presentations, trainings on the use of the application, joint work on the text of the document with the participation of employees present in different locations. A popular application of on-line meetings is their use in eLearning (Distance Learning) solutions. The obvious benefit of using Instant Meetings is a drastic reduction in the costs of meetings, business travel and the time needed to participate in meetings.
4. Audio / video over IP (Internet telephony) is another technology supporting synchronous communication. Many users effectively use the free telephony available whenever and wherever there is an appropriate quality connection to the Internet. Video calls allow you to participate more fully in communication, however, in most solutions, unlike Instant Meetings solutions, only one-to-one calls are available.
5. Document libraries are a platform supporting work on documents. It is possible to develop a common version of e.g. a contract by many people located in different locations. A document library helps you track versions, authors, and changes themselves. It is very important that one document located in a common location is processed, and not many versions of this document simultaneously existing in many mail bases. It should be added that it also happens that new versions of a document are not based on the latest version.
6. Knowledge management, i.e. discussion forums, wikipedies and blogs, are tools supporting the promotion of knowledge in organizations. Thanks to these tools, it is possible to solve technical problems, reuse other people's experiences, create articles containing syntheses and experiences, and encyclopedic studies.
7. Personal profiles are a tool for project managers to help build teams. In large organizations, with hundreds or thousands of members, it is not easy to create a team with the appropriate competences. Profiles available within the organization containing information on education, professional certificates, training and completed projects can be useful during new implementations.
8. Notice boards are an asynchronous communication tool that helps associate people who offer specific goods, services and competences with those who need them. Of course, the announcements can have their addressees, tags and validity dates.

The above considerations indicate the possibility of enriching the message in business communication. Since email communication lacks some important features, we should also use other tools in business. Currently, packages (including free ones) are available offering a variety of communication channels, which allows you to adjust the type of communication to its goals and tasks. It seems that the effect of making available a variety of communication tools is the removal of barriers to cooperation, adapting the method of communication to the preferences of various user groups and adapting the methods to the specifics of the work of working groups.

This raises the question of why not use the available free, public social networks. Some companies choose to use it, but many choose not to do so due to functional limitations, limited data size, non-compliance with internal security policies, and doubts about the rights to collected content.

Over the past few years, a class of collaborative environments has been developed that offer the above-described diversity and at the same time have social features. The expected benefits of the implementation include business functionality and the release of social behavior (e.g. the company's customer community) while maintaining compliance with security policies and maintaining full control over the work environment. Many manufacturers offer such solutions that support the construction of business social networks (ESN - Enterprise Social Networks).

The main benefits of being "social" are, according to IBM:

• Starting internal and external spontaneous communication,
• Consolidation, education and support of the company's staff,
• Understanding and engaging customers,
• Using the competences of the entire community,
• Streamlining business processes.

The starting point when choosing this type of solution is the assumption that email is not enough to effectively and effectively cooperate, and the professionally active generation is the generation for which social media such as Facebook, Tweeter or Google+ have been the basic communication tool for many years.

However, providing complex collaboration solutions does not always have to result in their effective use. Depending on the business needs, the type of organization and its susceptibility to changes in the established style of work, the adoption of innovations may or may not take place. It is therefore necessary to support the implementation process. There are already several companies in Poland that offer the service of moderating and animating the ESN work environment by actively adding content, motivating employees and training. Together with managers of various levels (!) And often with HR departments, corporate social media is filled with content relevant to employees, such as discussions, announcements, advice, information about company events, interests, etc.

Each time, the methods of supporting ESN are individually selected, although techniques common to many companies are also used. For example, one of the methods of engaging employees is gamification, defined according to Polish Wikipedia as "the use of mechanics known, for example, from role-playing and computer games, to modify people's behavior in non-game situations, in order to increase people's involvement. The technique is based on the pleasure that comes from overcoming successive challenges, competition, cooperation, etc. Gamification allows people to engage in activities that are in line with the project author's expectations, even if they are considered boring or routine. "

What conclusion should readers of this article draw from the above arguments? In my opinion, there are opportunities to take advantage of the greatest treasure of each enterprise - people. The basic resource of a modern enterprise is people, their individuality and creativity. These values should be supported and used to the greatest extent.

Let's do it: o)