Organizational Development

Part A: Change in My Workplace Community

In my case, I would like to enhance change by reducing the use of social media by employees in my work community. The use of social media and networking has rampantly increased in my work community with many employees preferring social networking for interactions. Mainly, the employees in my work community use various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, WhatsAPP, YouTube, and SnapChat, among others. According to Kemal (2019), different social media platforms have provided places for interactions between the social networking participants through posting and sharing of information, pictures, data images, and video clips. Kemal (2019) proceed to argue the most of the social media users include employees from the same workplaces or individuals from same communities. Such individuals create individual accounts and community groups for their employment colleagues and community members for social interactions and networking.

According to Ta (2014) and Adams-Mott (2018), the use of social media in the workplace has posed significant risks in organizations, communities, and society at large. These risks include cyber-bullying, reduced productivity due to poor time management, social networking addiction, and issues to do with privacy. In this light, I would like to introduce a change associated with reduced usage of social media in my work community. By reducing the use of social media, I am aiming at ensuring increased productivity among the employees who will have more time to focus on their responsibilities rather than social networking. More so, I am also hoping that the reduced use of social media will translate into reduced cases of cyber-bullying, which is common among employees. As a result, individuals may not suffer from mental health issues that result from cyber-bullying, including poor body image, low-self-esteem, and reduced confidence. Lastly, I also hope that the change will result into more responsible behaviors among individual employees. With reduced social networking, employees may effectively avoid leaking organizational information, interpersonal relationship issues, and social media addiction.

Part B: Intervention Strategy

Activity Description: Social Media Use Reduction in Work Community

This primary aim of the activity is to reduce the use of social media in the workplace. In the recent past, there has been a fast increase in the number of social media platforms and channels (Ta, 2014; Adams-Mott, 2018). In my workplace community, almost every employee has over 3 different social media accounts on different platforms and channels. With the company also relying on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter in its business and marketing operations, the use of social media appears to be a common practice for everyone. However, this rampant usage of social media has translated into detrimental impacts associated with reduced productivity, cyber-bullying instances, and risks to privacy and addiction.

In this light, the aim to reduce social media usage targets at preventing the engagement of employees in social media platforms during work time. This activity will require regular monitoring of the employees’ computer and tablet devices during work time. At the same time, it will also involve encouraging employees to refrain from using their mobile phones during work time, unless while making or receiving calls.

The activity will also involve allowing adequate tea and lunch breaks to the employees to engage in social media while off work time. This allowance is aimed at ensuring that employees can remain updated and in touch with their families, friends, and the external world. At the same time, the break will enable employees to control their social media usage during work time as they can wait to log into their accounts during break time. With this approach, the organization should develop a policy based on a consensus between the management and employees to enhance the reduction of social media usage during work time.

Social Media Use Reduction and Change in the Workplace

With this change, I am hopeful that there will be a positive change in my work community and organization at large. Mainly, this activity aims at controlling and managing the use of social media by the employees during their work time. At the same time, the activities aim at ensuring responsible behavior among the employees as they make decisions to avoid social media and networking while maximizing focus to the organizational responsibilities and duties. First, controlling and managing the usage of social media by the work community may enhance better time management. Employees will not spend a lot of time interacting with each other and other society members online. Therefore, this may translate into increased time and focus on the organizational duties and operations. As a result, the organization will benefit from increased productivity among the employees.

Secondly, the reduction in use of social media in the workplace may also prevent adverse outcomes to individuals. According to Ta (2014) and Adams-Mott (2018), the use of social media results into adverse outcomes on mental health and emotional and social well-being due to cyber-bullying, unrealistic self-expectations, and interpersonal issues such as online conflicts. In this case, reduced use of social media may improve the health and wellbeing of employees; thus, translating into positive outcomes for the organization. Lastly, the activity will create change by encouraging responsibility in the social behaviors embraced by employees. Individuals will be able to avoid issues associated with leaking organizational information, posting materials that interfere with colleagues’ privacy, and engaging in online confrontations and conflicts. Such changes will translate into effective changes that may enhance increased productivity in the workplace.

References

Adams-Mott, A. (2018). The Disadvantages of Social Networking in the Workplace. Chron. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/disadvantages-social-networking-workplace-21064.html

Kemal, M. (2019). Impact of Social Media on Society. Research Gate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333671238_Impact_of_social_media_on_society

Ta, J. Q. (2014). What Impact Has Social Media Truly Had On Society. Business2Community (B2C). Retrieved from https://www.business2community.com/social-media/impact-social-media-truly-society-0974685