The use of social media in human resources

The Use of Social Media and Technology in Human Resources
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Abstract
In the modern generation, social media platforms and technological advancements have played a momentous role in the sector of human resource in many companies. The platforms include Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and many more other sites that have been developed in different nations of the world. Generation Z and the millennial generation form the largest workforce in the world due to the global connections that they have gained as compared to Baby Boomers and the Boomers. The two groups are composed of young people who were born at the age of technological advancement and the rise of social sites around the world. Hence, this implies that many workers use social media for personal purposes while others use the platforms to market their respective company products. Thus, HR executives have embarked on the application of social sites to recruit, vet new employees, and facilitate training of workers, monitor employee performance and many other uses that benefit the growth of companies. Therefore, this paper shall explore the usage of social media and technology in recruiting, vetting new employees, training and many other areas of the department of human resource in companies.
The current cohort of workers that is composed of generation Y and Z has made social media sites to be an excellent source of acquiring information on potential hires or current employees by the HR department.

In the past ten years, corporations have applied different social media channels to post job opportunities, network with patrons and staff, and make crucial product announcements of the syndicate. Thus, companies need to embrace innovative methods in recruiting and retaining young workers who have a wider connection to the global world through the usage of social media.
Joos (2008) claims that social media has made the recruiting process to be easier and successful in many companies around the globe. The HR executives can publicize job opportunities on the different social platforms of the company including the links to the different job categories on the firm’s website. Consequently, this has enabled the company to notify the public when job vacancies are created in the organization and empower them to send their application forms. On the same note, the managers have been able to explore the social sites of imminent applicants so as to establish whether they can fit into the values embraced by the company (Joos, 2008). Therefore, this depicts the success that has been realized by companies on the recruitment process through the application of social media.
According to Pandit & Verma (2015), social platforms have abetted human resource managers in strengthening the brand name of the company as it carries its day to day operations. Hence, when a dispute ascends due to customer grievances or any other motive, the HR department can apply the usage of social sites so as to fortify the trademark of the firm and ensure that the tumult does not divagate and turn into a pathological rage. Similarly, social media permits HR officials to observe the quotidian undertakings of their workforces. If workers are discerned to be posting on their peculiar social platform accounts on working hours and the posts have no relation to the core functions of the company, then the corporation can be able to administer its social media doctrine. Similarly, the human resource executives can be able to notice any negative posts by employees on their social platforms; acts that will make them apply necessary disciplinary actions on the involved workers. Conversely, some companies allow their staffs to use social podiums during working hours on condition that their posts have a positive correlation to the syndicate’s image. A good example is the media houses that permit their workers to post on social sites from time to time so as to update the public on the current issues around the globe.
Communication enhancement between employees and HR executives has been realized through the application of the different social platforms. Some organizations do discuss with their employees on Twitter on the events of the company so as to enable the public to have an insight view of their structure and how they carry out their activities (Holland, Cooper, & Hecker, 2016). On the same note, other companies use messaging applications like Google’s Hangouts so as to communicate with employees in a particular location or across the globe.
Companies have used social platforms in the development of multifaceted approach in their training programs. Sites such as Flickr have enhanced the provision and sharing of explanatory pictures and visuals with company employees. On the same note, HR executives have been able to share informative videos through sites such as YouTube and other social platforms that accept video uploads. Online presentations have been developed through the application of Slide Share while key live events have been broadcasted onto Live-stream so that that the employees can access them. Similarly, live conversations between employees and the HR members who are responsible for training has been facilitated through the use of Skype, and other webcam enabled social sites (Pandit & Verma, 2015). Therefore, this shows that the opportunities offered by social media on training are copious and cannot be ignored by companies that aim at enhancing the skills of their workers.
Peer-to-peer training and learning have been enabled through the use of social media by employees. The platforms have provided employees with the ability to create virtual communities where every group member participates on the issues posted and engage in interactions to discuss company issues. Therefore, this has given training an element that could not have been realized before the emergence of social media. The different platforms include Facebook, LinkedIn, Yammer, among many other sites permitted in the different nations of the world (Parker, 2015). The private online spaces that are accessible at any time and from anywhere have enabled workers to share their thoughts, ask quires, provide answers, give feedbacks, and make corrections on past inaccuracies. On the same note, new employees can gain from the proficiency of older ones by reading on what is being said and asking essential questions in the forum when they wish to seek for clarification. Similarly, the early employees of the company can learn from the new ones through the entrance of new feedback, ideas, and provision of solutions to new encounters.
The HR executives can monitor employee performance through the application of technology. Tools like CPM have been used by managers so as to establish the magnitude of work that has been done by every worker over a given scheduled period. On the same note, the software can be used in aiding the stream of information on employee enactment athwart the company. Therefore, this has led to an increase in production and transparency in different companies because workers provide their best since they are aware that they are being monitored.
Similarly, technology has facilitated the application of virtual workforce by the human resource departments of many companies around the world. Companies in telecommunication sector and service suppliers have been able to recruit employees to carry out their activities from the coziness of their households. On the same note, Telecenters have applied this element of recruitment so as to increase on output and returns (Law, Mayfield, & Mayfield, 2009). Therefore, the application of the system can enable a company to hire many employees from different nations so as to carry out various tasks and be paid per the tasks completed. Hence, this has abetted businesses to save resources and time as they work to achieve their set goals and objectives.
In conclusion, the use of social media and technology in human resource has been beneficial to the company in recruiting, vetting of new employees, training, and many other related issues among the Y and Z generations. Therefore, it is advisable that HR executives of different organizations across the globe take into consideration the impact that social media pose to the evolving business world. In the long run, the platforms will assist the companies in realizing their set objectives and monitor the behaviors and work performances of each employee.
References
Holland, P., Cooper, B., & Hecker, R. (2016). Use of social media at work: a new form of employee voice?. The International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 27(21), 2621-2634. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2016.1227867
Joos, J. (2008). Social media: New frontiers in hiring and recruiting. Employment Relations Today, 35(1), 51-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ert.20188
Law, S., Mayfield, M., & Mayfield, J. (2009). Employee communication, information technology use, and mandatory training. International Journal Of Liability And Scientific Enquiry, 2(1), 26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijlse.2009.021531
Pandit, T. & Verma, R. (2015). Managing Human Resources through Social Media. Asian Journal Of Research In Business Economics And Management, 5(4), 25. http://dx.doi.org/10.5958/2249-7307.2015.00085.7
Parker, V. (2015). Making social media work for promoting and recruiting to research studies. Endocrine Abstracts. http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/endoabs.38.sk2.5