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Quite simply a game changer

Employee communications channels

Social Media

Purpose Typical audience Pros Cons Can you do it yourself? Thinking points
A wonderful channel for tapping into the wider networks of colleagues All DSM colleagues – and beyond! It’s free, fast and has an enormous reach – ideal for starting and sustaining conversations You can’t share sensitive information, and you need approval for targeted postings on DSM channels  Yes, by using your own social media account.  Make sure you tag DSM, as if you don’t, we won’t see it and cannot like, comment or share

What is this channel?

Social media has changed the game. On average, employees have 10 times more social connections than a brand has social followers. It’s not just about reach, either. People say they trust their friends and family more than any other source of information about brands and products; and that one like or share from a colleague may well help deliver a valuable sales lead or help recruit that great new colleague. This is why we believe at DSM that employee advocacy matters! Provided the information isn’t sensitive, it makes sense for us to use social channels to deliver appealing content that people will want to consume, like and share!  

What and when is it typically used?

Think about your audience; can you share your messages properly and reach them via this channel? Check out the comparison notes below and weigh your pros versus cons. This will help you decide how to spend your time/ money for the best result.

Benefits

  1. It’s fast.
  2. Large reach.
  3. Every employee has a follower base!
  4. Creates pride among your team.
  5. Can be highly engaging.
  6. Creates a two-way communication flow.

Challenges

  1. You can’t post sensitive information.
  2. You need to ensure you’re aligned with the wider DSM message.
  3. For targeted posts to specific audiences via DSMs channels you need GC&B approval
  4. Targeted posting costs money. This is often forgotten…so don’t forget it!

How to use this channel

There are many reasons why social media is important to DSM's business and reputation:

  • To learn
    As an innovation-based company, we embrace the importance of open exchange and learning between DSM employees, their customers and other key stakeholders. Our employees have always shared a thirst for knowledge and an appetite for learning. Social media offers us a great opportunity to grow and learn.
  • To connect
    Social media helps DSM employees gain a better understanding of what’s happening in the big wide world. It’s an ideal platform for connecting with people and organizations to hold meaningful conversations and foster mutual understanding. It also allows you to reach new audiences and perhaps even identify new business opportunities – as well as expand your professional network.
  • To contribute
    DSM - as a business, as an innovator and as a corporate citizen - makes important contributions to a brighter world. Many of our employees have experience, opinions and insights that matter. We encourage you to share the work we do at DSM with the outside world. 

Develop a post following the DSM guidelines

Like most companies, DSM formally participates in social media communities through authorized group channels. Only employees designated by DSM management have authority to speak on behalf of DSM here. However, we also recognize that some DSM employees may want to use social media to communicate their personal views and opinions concerning DSM. If you decide to engage in social media communities (or start your own!), please be sure to follow our Social Media Guidelines and Policy.

Things to keep in mind

Make sure you tag DSM! If you don’t, we won’t see it and cannot like, comment or share:

Unsure about the suitability of the content you want to share? Please check with a communications colleague first.

KPIs for this channel

How will you know ‘what success looks like’? Measuring the response to this channel /tool could give you a better understanding of whether you’ve reached your communication objective. KPIs can be qualitative or quantitative. Here are some ideas:

  • For an organic post, just see how many likes, comments and re-shares you get.
  • You can use Facebook Insight analytics.

Final thoughts

If this a stand-alone initiative, then go ahead! However, if this is part of a wider initiative, you might want to take a step back and look at the broader communications perspective. A good starting point is our 9-step approach to creating your communication plan - which includes an overview of all the internal channels and tools.

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