Introduction
Social media has evolved to become a global phenomenon that has changed the way people, workforce and businesses interact all through the world. Social networking is influencing the lives of individual in both person and professional settings thereby, affecting employee productivity and profitability of modern businesses (Shen and Benson, 2016). It is essential to understand the impact of social networking on employee behaviour which can affect the productivity as organisation maintains its corporate reputation in social networking to stay competitive. Employee plays a major role in maintaining their business reputation and can also harm the business image online through uncontrolled behaviour which in turn can influence the different shareholders outlook on its products and services offerings (Panahi et al., 2012). This research thus, investigates social networking in context of employee’s behavior and related impact in Australian organization.
Research Aim & Objectives
The primary aim of this study is to critically analyse the impact of social networking on the employee behaviour within an Australian organisation.
The objectives of the study are:
- To examine the concept of social networking from an employee behavioural perspective
- To determine how social networking is impacting at employee behaviour in Australian employees
- To build a conceptual framework for social networking and its implications for employee behaviour
- To understand the relationship between social networking and employee behaviour
- To determine the challenges and opportunities from the influence of social networking in the management of employee behaviour in Australia
Research scope
With the growth of internet, the use of social sites has increased tremendously in past few years. The use of web based technologies has found its place in the business activities. In Australia, social networking is penetrating as a communications platform to create a central place in its interactive way of life. With the availability of more interactive sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter the interactivity has increased along with social media dialogue (Scott, 2011). However, the implications for employee behaviour are still not known with growing use of social networking. Thus, it is important to investigate the impact of social networking on employee behaviour.
Review of Literature
The organisations in Australia are offering flexibility to the workforce through its bringing your own device (BYOD) concept. This has changed the way employees are making use of internet in workplace. As a result, the employees are actively using social networking site within the organisation to connect with others employees, to reach target customers, suppliers, etc to share business related information to increase productivity, a training tool to increase employee capabilities at work and for knowledge sharing purposes (Panahi et al., 2012). However, the use of employee own devices is not restricted to official use but the employees connect with other people, friends, etc and to share latest information and updates about events, news, etc.
According to Aguenza et al. (2012), the use of social networking by society as an effective means of communication is dynamic with different motives and for release of human emotions. Correspondingly, organizations make use of social networking as a communication platform to achieve motive of professional benefits such as to enhance the work productivity, attract mass markets, relationship marketing, develop customer relations, etc. Thom-Santelli, et.al., (2011), found in their study that the productivity of organization is based on employee engagement and performance. Boulianne, (2015), in the study of social networking found that the information from social networks relates to employee performance in an organization. It can be noted that employees in the organizations are connecting to the social networks to sort out work performance. However, Panahi, et. al., (2012), also argue that workforce strong association with social networks is affecting the employee productivity and profit base of MNCs. In support of this argument, Edosomwan, et. al., (2011), viewed that social networks can become employee weaknesses and limiting factors by increasing the dependence on social networking information thereby, setting negative impacts on employee performance and business productivity. This demands the organisation to plan workforce use of social networking according to the business demands and competitive environment. Molok, et al. (2011) further elaborates the different sides of social network creating business opportunities, risk and threats for modern day organisations. The study found that social networks pose a risk due to its nature of real-time communication channel as businesses require sharing of specific information relevant to the target group. Another risk identified in the study is the use of shared information or marketing schemes by the competitors. It can be also be added that the bad behaviour of employee in social interactions negatively affects the customers, employee work behaviour and image of the organisation in the social sites. In the opinion of Molok, et al. (2011), employee are potential threats to the image of the organisation through their negative behaviours and misbehaviour of employees can be linked to the organisation characteristics among the social media users. It can be pointed that employee behaviour can damage the social media strategy of business and its reputation in online market. This reflects that behaviour of employees in social networking has a direct impact on the evaluation of the business by different stakeholders. This highlights a lack of understanding of employee behaviour and its link to social networking in literature of social networking.
The social networks as an opportunity is highlighted in the study of Scott, (2011), which states that social networks can enhance the strength of a business if it is effectively utilised for building customer relationship by employees. Similarly, Pan and Crotts, (2012), point that organisations can effectively use social network to enhance internal communication to develop a closer relationship with its workforce. The study also reflects that organisations use social network tool to gather information about behaviour of employees in workplace to identify training needs.
The study by Aguenza and Som, (2012), on social networking and relates impact on productivity of employees. This particular study explores the relevance of social interactive technologies in workplace, positive and negative factors related to different social sites and the relationship between employee productivity and social interactions. The author found that social networking sites can be useful in maximizing the productive related behavior. Accordingly, it can be understood that social networking act as an encouraging factor for knowledge sharing and team efforts which can lead to behavior that can lessen or enhance employee productivity. Therefore, the author suggests a close supervision on the use of social interactive technologies by employee in workplace. In a similar study on the consequence of online social networking in relation to employee productivity, Bulgurcu, et.al., (2010), recognize that social networking inspires work collaboration and sharing of unbiased information among the co-workers within an organization. Thus, organization can exploit the knowledge sharing through setting up of area of similar interests or practice to induce positive behavior. The author in this study also suggests the need that organization are required to properly direct these online activities to ensure maximum benefit on employee behavior and productivity, which can otherwise impact the employee behavior in a negative way in terms of productivity and time.
Several literatures reviewed in perspective of human minds relate creativity and innovation with aspects of human behaviour and social networking. According to De Spiegelaere, (2014), the impact of social network on human mind can lead to innovative behaviour. The author view the nature of social sites that gives power to people to explore things, develop relationship, information sharing which can trigger positive human reactions such as creative thinking, new ideas generation and other constructive activities. Halder, (2014), also believes that creativity and innovative behaviour are derivatives of human minds. In the study of De Spiegelaere, (2014), suggests that workplace behaviour can be transformed into innovative behaviour through the use of social networking. Likewise, Zhao and Zhu, (2014), suggests the use of crowd sourcing strategies to enhance employee behaviour in workplace. These strategies encourage a collaborative dialogue between employee and customers that can empower employee to adopt new ideas, improve creative thinking and related behaviour in professional environment. On the other hand, Halder, (2014), argues that use of technological strategies such as crowd sourcing strategy is a potential threat to research and development unit in an organisation which impacts the overall innovation progression.
It can be said that the social interactive sites have a positive impact in the innovative behaviour in employee behaviour. This positive impact on employee behaviour is encouraged through social support systems gained form work resources. In support of this view, Shen and Benson, (2016), found that the social support to employee is received from family, friends, colleagues, managers and work team are responsible to enhance the creativity of an individual in both personal and professional setting. Thus, the views of different authors support the use of social networking sites as a means to enhance innovation and modify employee behaviour. Furthermore, Cilliers, (2013), studied social networking sites in relation to social sites information in a multi-national firm in Australia. The author points out that social sites in multinational firms have improved course of innovation as the firm permit its employee to access social information in an efficient way to develop inventive ideas assessing the current market trends. It can be noted that social networks have influence on the employees in Australian organisation as use of interactive technologies have become a part of people’s lives. The Australian organisations are exploiting the social networks to influence the behaviour of employees along with its creative skills, knowledge and enhancing work productivity. Thus, it can be viewed that social networking are in some way impacting the employee performance through behaviour modification. According to Bird et. al., (2012), the activities within an organization are affected by the use of social networks. Scott, (2011), elaborates the impact of social network on human resource policies suggesting changing the policies as per the changing social standards. The author also emphasize the increasing use of Smartphone in Australian organizations has made social policy of human resources less effective in dealing with the ban of social sites in workplace in crisis situations like floods. As a result, the author suggests change in human resource policies in Australian organization to develop a better guideline on proper and restrained use of social sites at workplace.
From the different views, the social media usage and social networks are taking part in business activities like brand awareness and opening new opportunities for both business and employees. In the view of Treem and Leonardi, (2013), the major challenge faced by the organisations in use of social networking by employees is the reliability of social channels in communication. Cilliers, (2013), points towards the reliability factor of social networks, which needs to be transparent, provide timely communication and should motivates employees. Also, social networks should also not be associated with negative effect on productive time, inducing negative behaviour and lowering the employee yield in workplace.
It can be observed that some of the studies in social networking highlighting the relevance of use in organisation but do not shed much light on behaviours development of employees and its related effect on different stakeholder in social networks. Hence, Qualman, (2010), emphasises on the research of social networking with a focus on employee online behavioural aspects as professional life is merging with social life though use of social networks.
Gap Analysis and Conclusion
This review of literature implies that there is little evidence provided on determining the impact of increased use of social networking on the workforce behavioural aspects. Since, behaviour is a one of important determinants of employee productivity in workplace; determined efforts are required by the organisation to determine social networking implications in Australia. The literature do not emphasise the characteristic of employee behaviour in social networking. The given literature reflects that the social networking is seen as an opportunity to promote innovative behaviour in organisations but did not address how the social networking is influencing the behaviour management in organisations in Australia. There is not much research on the social networking is playing a positive or negative role in shaping employee behaviour Therefore, these gaps are identified and explored in the current research study.
References
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De Spiegelaere, S., Van Gyes, G., De Witte, H., Niesen, W., & Van Hootegem, G. (2014). On the relation of job insecurity, job autonomy, innovative work behaviour and the mediating effect of work engagement. Creativity and Innovation Management, 23(3), 318-330.
Edosomwan, S., Prakasan, S. K., Kouame, D., Watson, J., & Seymour, T. (2011). The history of social media and its impact on business. Journal of Applied Management and entrepreneurship, 16(3), 79.
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Shen, J., & Benson, J. (2016). When CSR is a social norm: How socially responsible human resource management affects employee work behavior. Journal of Management, 42(6), 1723-1746.
Treem, J. W., & Leonardi, P. M. (2013). Social media use in organizations: Exploring the affordances of visibility, editability, persistence, and association. Annals of the International Communication Association, 36(1), 143-189.
