For many people, hearing the phrase “social networking” conjures up images of high school and college students glued in front of their computer screens updating Facebook pages at all hours of the day. Those images are accurate in some cases, as Facebook and other Web sites have become the primary form of communication for many homes and campuses across the country.
But, as you probably already know, social-networking platforms are not reserved for those who have yet to enter the workplace. Professionals young and old are making connections with people they otherwise might not have met without a social-networking framework in place.
I listened to a presentation on the changing landscape of business-to-business media recently, and the speaker spent a great deal of time on social networking. It made me wonder how prevalent social networks are among facility managers. The majority of maintenance and engineering managers probably don’t log in to Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn on a daily basis – as if there is enough time in the day for that – but many facility professionals use some form of social networking to learn about new products and share strategies with colleagues across the country.
Some managers might spend time participating in an e-mail listserv, outlining a difficult issue they hope will generate discussion and lead to a solution. Others might use their time at trade shows to not only hear about new products, but also build relationships with colleagues who face similar challenges. Certain managers might try to ignore social networking altogether.
But due to the results-drive, cost-conscious nature of the facilities management industry, social networking seems to be another resource managers could consider before making critical decisions.
Do you use any social networks? If so, which?