IABC Research Foundation News
Press Releases
27 Sep 2010
IABC and Marketwire Partner to Foster Communication Excellence and Greater Global Collaboration
3 August 2010
E-mails and Intranet Are Top Communication Methods Used to Engage Employees
29 Jun 2010
Shelley Bird Takes Over as 2010–2011 IABC Chair; Marilyn Keyes is 2010–2011 Research Foundation Chair
21 Apr 2010
Trust Is the Essential Element In an Organization’s Success Say Authors of New IABC Book
3 Aug 2009
Despite Social Media Tools, Face-To-Face Interaction in Organizations Has Remained the Same: IABC Survey
30 Jun 2009
Two Out of Three Communication Professionals Don’t Think Twitter’s Popularity Will Last
Two IABC surveys report on views and usage of Twitter by business communicators
9 Jun 2009
Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged During Tough Economic Times, Survey Finds
18 Feb 2009
IABC Publishes Report to Help Members Prepare Messages for Information Overload Environments
Survey finds visualization has great potential for internal communication, but not widely used due to lack of necessary knowledge and access to tools
In The News
9 Aug 2010 (Marketing Profs)
New Survey Offers Insight To Employee Engagement A growing number of employers now use social media to distribute company news to their employees, according to a study from the International Association of Business Communicators Research Foundation and Buck Consultants.
Organizations now rely on a wide range of tools to communicate with their employees, but most surveyed business communicators cite email (83%) and their intranets (75%) as the ones used most frequently. Read this story...
Aug 5, 2010
Modern 'Terms of Engagement' Include Social Media About half of the respondents to an employee engagement survey released recently by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation say that they do not measure the effectiveness of social media. Fewer than half of the respondents have policies in place to address employee use of internal and external social media.
Also, roughly two-thirds of survey participants reported that their top executives do not participate in internal or external social media. Yet, employee engagement tends to be higher in organizations where top leadership communicates with employees openly and frequently, and where leaders have a positive presence outside of the organization, not just internally. Read this story...
4 Aug 2010 (PRNewser)
IABC Survey: Email, Intranet More Popular Than Social Media For Employee Engagement When it comes to communicating with employees, many companies are still using tried and true forms of digital communication.
A new survey released today from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) reveals most organizations are using email (83 percent) and intranets (75 percent) to engage employees and foster productivity than social media channels. Read this story...
4 Aug 2010 (Bulldog Reporter)
New Survey Finds Emails and Intranet Are Top Communication Methods Used to Engage Employees — Facebook, IM and Twitter Are Most Popular Workplace Social Media Tools The most common communication vehicles organizations use to engage employees and foster productivity are email (83 percent) and an organization's intranet (75 percent), according to a new survey released by the International Association of Business Communicators Research Foundation and Buck Consultants. The report, entitled "Employee Engagement Survey," also found nearly half of employers currently communicate through Facebook, instant messaging and Twitter. Read this story...
4 Aug 2010 (Recruiting Trends)
E-Mail and Intranets Still Rule Employers' Internal Communications The vast majority of employers continue use the internal communication channels of email (83 percent) and intranet (75 percent) to engage their employees and foster productivity, find International Association of Business Communicators Research Foundation and Buck Consultants. Their joint survey also reveals that nearly half of employers currently communicate through Facebook, instant messaging, and Twitter. Read this story...
4 Aug 2010 (
Neville Hobson)
New Survey Offers Insight To Employee Engagement In June, the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and Buck Consultants published the 2010 IABC Employee Engagement Survey, the results of research on employee engagement strategies, the second year the two organizations have worked together on such research.
The only real surprise to me from these metrics is actually how low current use is of internal-use tools like Yammer and how high the percentage is of survey respondents who either aren’t using it or don’t plan to at all. Yammer is a Twitter-like tool used for private communication within organizations.
What this suggests to me is that there is still a huge requirement in many organizations for education and awareness-raising of social media tools and channels to help people at all levels better understand
4 Aug 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com)
ENGAGEMENT” RING? The most common communication vehicles organizations use to engage employees and foster productivity are email (83%) and an organization’s Intranet (75%), according to a new survey released by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation and Buck Consultants. The “Employee Engagement Survey” also found nearly half of employers currently communicate through Facebook, instant messaging, and Twitter. As for the top goals cited for keeping employees engaged: Read this story...
3 Aug 2010 (btobonline.com)
Study: E-mails, intranet top company-to-staff communications
The communication vehicles organizations most commonly use to engage employees and foster productivity are e-mail and company intranets, according to a new study from the International Association of Business Communicators and human resources consultancy Buck Consultants. Read this story...
20 Apr 2010 (EmployersWeb.com)
Employers Must Keep Rank-and-File in the Loop
Article by Julie Freeman, ABC, APR, President, International Association of Business Communicators
Savvy employers know that when employees feel connected to the goals and management of a business, they are much more likely to go the extra mile for the company. And since communication is an essential part of building those connections, leaders are asking, “What are the issues that employees are concerned about? What messages should we be delivering to employees?”
The messages in 2010 will be variations on many of the issues that concerned employees in 2009. The “command and control” model of information delivery is taking a back seat to information sharing and interaction. Companies must focus on creating conversations, not on broadcasting information. Innovative leaders are taking advantage of new tools to engage employees in critical discussions.
Read this story...
22 Mar 2010 (The Financial Times)
Time to connect
When Jonathan Schwartz resigned as chief executive of Sun Microsystems in February, he announced it through Twitter, the microblogging website. “Today’s my last day at Sun,” he wrote. “I’ll miss it. Seems only fitting to end on a haiku,” he added, referring to the Japanese 17-syllable poem format: “Financial crisis Stalled too many customers CEO no more.”
Mr Schwartz’s somewhat unconventional farewell is yet another indicator of how companies are beginning to use social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook to communicate with customers and staff.
...Roughly 79 per cent of companies say they “frequently” use social media to communicate with employees, according to the 2009 employee engagement survey carried out by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Blogs and discussion boards are among the most popular tools, with internal social networks growing in popularity. Many also use entirely public social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
“Social media are undergoing this huge transformational adoption cycle,” says Julie Freeman, president of the IABC. “It is like a stone rolling downhill. Initially, there was some distrust that it was a time waster – that social networking meant social ‘not-working’. There was also a fear employees would divulge company secrets. It took a little time to see there was some value.”
Now, she says, companies are recognising that communication with employees needs to be a two-way conversation, and social networking provides an easy way to achieve this.
15 Oct 2009 (WorkAwesome.com)
Create a Warm, Fuzzy Office Atmosphere (Without a Harassment Complaint)
A positive workplace atmosphere can be achieved with open office communication. Bosses may waste valuable time planning employee meetings or sending out e-mails that detail why employees matter to the company. While these gestures are nice, they often don’t work.
... A recent press release from the International Association Of Business Communicators titled, “Social media an increasingly important tool in keeping employees engaged during tough economic times, survey finds” found that “employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged.”
... Adding visual aids, such as time lines and charts, can help reduce information overload. According to another International Association Of Business Communicators press release titled, “IABC publishes report to help members prepare messages for information overload environments,” a research report by the IABC found that visual techniques can “help to aggregate information and show connections between various types of information, and make information more easily understandable and more memorable.” Read this story...
31 Jul 2009 (The Houston Chronicle)
Companies in new age of networking
As social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook assimilate into our lexicon as verbs, companies faced with reduced communication budgets are realizing the value of engaging their employees and customers through Web-based interactive media.
A June survey conducted by The Internal Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and Buck Consultants reported almost 80 percent of organizations frequently use social media, outranking even e-mail. Nearly half said company blogs are the most popular tool, with discussion boards on the rise.
After heading a lecture recently about how businesses engage with these tech tools, Julie Freeman, president of IABC, recently spoke with the Chronicle about the intersection between Web 2.0 and the workplace.
23 Jun 2009 (The MarketingSite.com)
Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged, Survey Finds
In its “Employee Engagement Survey,” the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results were released at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco.
“Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times,” said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009–2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. “Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities....”
Read this story...
20 Jun 2009 (Suite101.com)
Social Media Tools For Employee Engagement
The economic downturn means that many organizations’ approach to strategic communications must occur with smaller budgets. Social media allows for the best use of communications resources and is proving highly effective at engaging workforces.
The Employee Engagement Survey by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation and Buck Consultants, an ACS company, was conducted in 2009 to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive...
Read this story...
17 Jun 2009 (Crisis Post)
Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged During Tough Economic Times
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey released today.
In its “Employee Engagement Survey,” the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results are being released today at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco.
“Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times,” said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009–2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. “Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities...” Read this story...
15 Jun 2009 (PR News; Vol. 65; Issue 24)
Summertime Benefits; Compensating via Social Media; C-Level Votes for Web Ads; Innovation Investments a Must-Have
Social Media Not Just for Slackers: Companies dealing with diminished communications budgets are using social networks to compensate, says a recently report by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation and Buck Consultants.
The Employee Engagement Survey, which polled almost 1,500 employers, found that 79% of respondents regularly use social media to engage employees and encourage productivity, topping even e-mail. The report also found that:
- Company blogs are the most popular social media tool currently in use (47%), with discussion boards ranking the highest for future planned use (33%);
- More than half of respondents (52%) report their communication budgets have decreased, and 35% report their communication staff has been reduced over the past 12 months;
- The most common reasons cited for communication budget and staff cuts are the economic downturn (46%) and organizational mandates (42%);
- 48% percent report that their employee communication strategy has remained the same despite the economic downturn; and,
- 56% of top executives are not currently using social media, and nearly half (46%) of organizations are not measuring social media's effectiveness.
13 Jun 2009 (Web 3.0 Technology)
More Employers Using Social Media To Engage Their Workforce
More employers are turning to social media tools in an effort to deal with reduced communication budgets and to keep their workforce engaged, according to new survey out today.
In its "Employee Engagement Survey," the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) partnered with Buck Consultants, to examine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive... Read this story...
13 Jun 2009 (TMCnet.com)
IABC: Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged During Tough Economic Times
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey entitled, "Employee Engagement Survey," by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation.
The IABC noted it partnered with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base...Read this story...
13 Jun 2009 (Xorte)
Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged During Tough Economic Times
In its "Employee Engagement Survey," the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results are being released at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco.
"Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times," said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009–2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. "Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities...." Read this story...
12 Jun 2009 (WebProNews)
More Employers Using Social Media To Engage Their Workforce
More employers are turning to social media tools in an effort to deal with reduced communication budgets and to keep their workforce engaged, according to new survey out today.
In its "Employee Engagement Survey," the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) partnered with Buck Consultants, to examine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive.
"Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times," said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants' communication practice and 2009-2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation...Read this story...
11 Jun 2009 (RIS media)
Social Media an Increasingly Important during Tough Economic Times, Survey Finds
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey released this week.
In its “Employee Engagement Survey,” the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results are being released this week at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco.
“Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times,” said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009-2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. “Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities.”
Read this story...
10 Jun 2009 (The Management Blog)
Social media 'keeping employees engaged'
Social media is being used more than email to keep employees engaged, according to a new survey.
The study found that while 75 per cent of those polled use email to engage with their employees, the figure for social media was a surprising 79 per cent.
Nearly 1,500 people took part in the employee engagement survey, carried out by Buck Consultants and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Julie Freeman, president of IABC, said that social media can generate two-way discussions between employers and staff, while Robin McCasland of Buck Consultants pointed out that good engagement is especially important in times of economic uncertainty...Read this story...
10 Jun 2009 (WorldatWork)
Social Media Used for Employee Communication and Engagement
Employers are turning to social media outlets in an effort to keep their workforce engaged amid reduced communication budgets and reduced resources, according to a new survey.
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation survey found that 79% of respondents use social media frequently to engage employees and foster productivity, which is slightly higher than e-mail use (75%). The most popular social media tool currently in use is company blogs (47%), and discussion boards ranked the highest for future planned use (33%).
“It’s encouraging to see the rising popularity of social media in employee communication,” said Julie Freeman, ABC, APR, president of IABC. “Companies are moving away from the one-way communication model where they would send out information hoping people would read it. Using the various social media tools, companies can now engage employees in discussions and foster conversations between teams across geographic and other boundaries.” Read this story...
10 Jun 2009 (Bluhalo)
Social media 'outstrips email' for employee engagement
Social media is used more than email to keep employees engaged, according to the results of a new poll.
Almost 1,500 people took part in the Employee Engagement Survey, carried out by Buck Consultants and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
While 75 per cent of those polled use email to engage with their employees, the figure for social media was higher at 79 per cent.
Julie Freeman, president of IABC, said that social media can generate two-way discussions between employers and staff, while Robin McCasland of Buck Consultants pointed out that good engagement is especially important in times of economic uncertainty. Read this story...
10 Jun 2009 (RTOonline.com)
Companies Turn to Twitter as HR Tool
Almost four-fifths (79 percent) of the respondents report that they use social media frequently to engage employees and foster productivity, outranking even email (75 percent).
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey released today.
In its "Employee Engagement Survey," the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results are being released today at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco. Read this story...
10 Jun 2009 (Bulldog Reporter's Daily' Dog)
Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged During Tough Economic Times, Survey Finds
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey released this week. In its "Employee Engagement Survey," the International Association of Business Communicators (www.iabc.com/) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base.
"Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times," said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants' communication practice and 2009–2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. "Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities...." Read this story...
9 Jun 2009 (SMP)
Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged During Tough Economic Times, Survey Finds
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey released today.
In its “Employee Engagement Survey,” the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results are being released today at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco.
“Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times,” said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009–2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. “Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities.” Read this story...
9 Jun 2009 (National Underwriter)
Employers Turn To Tech
Corporate managers are trying to stretch communications budgets by making creative use of media such as blogs and message boards.
The International Association of Business Communicators, San Francisco, and Buck Consultants, New York, a unit of Affiliated Computer Services Inc., Dallas, have published that finding in a summary of results from a survey of 1,500 staffers at large and midsize employers.
About 52% of the survey participants said their companies’ internal communications budgets have fallen in the past 12 months, and 35% said their internal communications staffs have been reduced. Read this story...
9 Jun 2009 (PRSafeNewswire)
Social Media an Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged During Tough Economic Times, Survey Finds
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey released today.
In its “Employee Engagement Survey,” the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants, an ACS company, to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results are being released today at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco.
“Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times,” said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009–2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. “Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities...” Read this story...
9 Jun 2009 (Talent Management)
Social Media Is Increasingly Important Tool in Keeping Employees Engaged
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforces engaged, according to a survey released today.
In its “Employee Engagement Survey,” the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation teamed with Buck Consultants to determine how organizations are communicating with employees to keep them engaged and productive. The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base. The survey results are being released at the annual IABC World Conference in San Francisco.
“Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times,” said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009-2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. Read this story...
9 Jun 2009 (Civsource)
Social media keeps employees’ heads in the game
Once thought to be a major distraction to productivity and employee performance, social media is now being credited with keeping the employees engaged with their tasks.
A survey performed by Buck Consultants and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation found that reduced communications budgets and resources are making employers leverage social media tools, such as company blogs and discussion boards, to keep their workforce engaged.
“Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times,” Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants’ communication practice and 2009-2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation, said in a statement... Read this story...
9 Jun 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com)
Employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep their workforce engaged, according to a survey
The Employee Engagement Survey by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation in association with Buck Consultants found almost four-fifths (79%) of respondents report that they use social media frequently to engage employees and foster productivity, outranking even e-mail (75%). A press release said company blogs are the most popular social media tool currently in use (47%), with discussion boards ranking the highest for future planned use (33%).
Currently few respondents use social networking sites such as Twitter (21%), Yammer (20%), and Facebook (18%), but organizations are planning to use those tools even more in the future.
- Other key survey findings, according to the press release, include:
- More than half of the respondents (52%) report their communication budgets have decreased and 35% report their communication staff has been reduced over the past 12 months;
- The most common reasons cited for communication budget and staff cuts are the economic downturn (46%) and organizational mandates (42%);
- 48% report their employee communication strategy has stayed the same despite the economic downturn;
- 62% of respondents regularly engage in employee listening activities such as surveys and focus groups, and 30% rarely or never engage in these methods;
- 56% of top executives are not using social media at this time, and nearly half (46%) of organizations are not measuring social media's effectiveness;
- Almost six in 10 respondents (
- 59%) think their company has a well established internal or employer brand.
The survey includes responses from nearly 1,500 participants representing a broad industry and geographic base.
9 Jun 2009(Jack O'Dwyer's Newsletter)
Communications Cuts; Social Media for Employee Comms.
Fifty-two percent of respondents to an the International Association of Business Communicators/Buck Consultants study said their communication budgets have decreased, while 35 percent reported cuts to their communication staffs over the past year.
Despite those doldrums, nearly half said communication with staff has stayed the same and many are turning to social media to engage them.
The survey of 1,500 participants across various industries found that 79 percent reported using social media to communicate with employees, while 75 percent cited email.
Company blogs are the top social media tool and were cited by 47 percent, while discussion boards were said to be the top tool on the horizon at 33 percent.
Twitter (21%), Yammer (20%) and Facebook (18%) were also mentioned and organizations cited plans to use such tools more down the road.
On social media use among top executives, 56% are not using such tools and about half (46%) said they are not monitoring social media’s effectiveness.
9 Jun 2009 (Benefits Canada: NewsBrief)
Social media important for engagement
A recent survey has found that employers faced with reduced communication budgets and resources are turning to social media to keep employees engaged and productive.
The survey, conducted by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and Buck Consultants, collected responses from close to 1,500 employees from various industries and geographic locations.
"Communicating for optimal employee engagement is always a timely topic, but even more so during challenging economic times," said Robin McCasland, a director in Buck Consultants' communication practice and 2009–2010 chair of IABC Research Foundation. "Our results represent opportunities for communicators to have greater influence in delivering messages that encourage employees to remain productive, and to understand how their work contributes toward achieving business priorities."
Seventy-nine percent of the respondents reported using social media frequently to engage employees and foster productivity.
Company blogs are the most popular social media tool with 47% of respondents using them, while 33% of respondents use discussion boards as their preferred method of communication.
The survey also found that 21% of respondents use Twitter, 20% use Yammer and 18% use Facebook. A number of organizations expressed a desire to use these social networking sites more frequently in the future.
"It's encouraging to see the rising popularity of social media in employee communication," says Julie Freeman, ABC, APR, president of IABC. "Companies are moving away from the one-way communication model where they would send out information hoping people would read it. Using the various social media tools, companies can now engage employees in discussions and foster conversations between teams across geographic and other boundaries."
The survey also found:
- 52% of respondents report their communication budgets have decreased;
- 46% say the economic downturn is the reason for the creation of a communication budget and staff cuts;
- 42% of respondents cite organizational mandates as the reason for the budget and cuts; and
- 56% of top executives are not using social media at this time
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