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Lecture Outline
Chapter 16: The Role of Social Media in Human Resources
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The learning goals for this chapter are listed below. At the end of this chapter, you should be able
to do the following:
• Possess a general understanding of how the Internet and particularly social media is being
used in human resources for recruitment, selection, and training.
INTRODUCTION
• Social media are Internet-based platforms, based on Web 2.0 technologies, that allow
users to generate and exchange content (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). Whereas Web 1.0 is
a “readable” information portal that has allowed users to receive information without the
opportunity to respond back via posts or comments, Web 2.0 is a “writable” platform that
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Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
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Global Usage of Social Media
• Globally, approximately 2.34 billion people access social media sites regularly (eMarker,
2016), a 9.2% increase since 2015.
• Many companies are using SMW to attract new employees and to connect, inform, and
Social Media and HR Practices
ORGANIZATIONAL RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
• The rapid diffusion of the Web and new technologies have significantly changed the
landscape of how we communicate with each other and how organizations use
technology to attract, acquire, and retain a new generation of employees.
• Organizations are also using online software, social networks, and other platforms to
conduct what is now called social recruiting (Wauters, 2011).
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Kavanagh and Johnson, Human Resource Information Systems: Basics, Applications, and Future Directions, 4e
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• Facebook is another frequently used tool in recruitment. Overall, Facebook has the
largest audience, with over 1.79 billion monthly active users (Facebook, 2016).
Popular Recruitment Sites
• Many organizations are recruiting employees via social media by actively
managing their social media presence and using recruitment tools to attract
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
• As organizations compete in a global market, businesses need to prepare their
employees to be more effective. Social media tools can assist organizations in this
process in multiple ways, such as informing teams separated by geographic
INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT
o According to a recent Gallup Poll (2013), 70% of the American workforce feels
disconnected, or not engaged, at work. Lack of engagement at work can lead to
higher absenteeism, higher turnover, and lower firm performance.
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Concerns Over Social Media
Some organizations have experienced problems with social media, such as the dissemination of
Corporate Social Media Policies
In an effort to address employee usage of social media, many companies have implemented
social media policies to protect their professional reputations, as well as proprietary information
from exposure (O’Connor et al., 2016).
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
A majority of organizations are utilizing SNW as part of their recruitment and selection
VALIDITY OF SMW IN SELECTION
Another concern for human resource decision makers is the fact that organizations may
be unable to infer—with relative validity—the qualifications, personality, and/or
PRIVACY CONCERNS
Of particular concern for employees and applicants is that fact that many human resource
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DIVERSITY CONCENRS
As more organizations use technology and implement SMW tools, they also must
FEDERAL AND STATE GUIDELINES
The FCRA requires employers to give applicants advanced notice when a copy of the
consumer report will be used to make hiring decisions; it further mandates that applicants
must provide permission prior to organizations using these reports. Specifically, with
Research-Based Tips for the Use of Social Media
In order to successfully utilize social media, organizations need to be proactive in the
development of their social media processes and strive to stay current on the legal environment,
the validity of the content used, and best practices. By proactively managing their use of social
media platforms and implementing proper protocols, HR managers can stay connected with their
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CHAPTER SUMMARY
Social media has become an integral part of society. It also has created new challenges for
organizations, as they are now faced with integrating this technology within their organizational