Corporates More Social Than Consultancies, Says Survey

Online, November 28, 2013 (Newswire.com) - PROFESSIONALS in a corporate HR environment use social media more frequently than their consultancy counterparts, according to an in-house survey by a leading technology firm.

CR Systems wanted to investigate if there was a difference between the way that the two groups they service - corporates, who work within Learning and Development departments, and consultants, who provide training and development as an external supplier - use Social Media.

The results revealed that 23 per cent of corporate HRs on their books use Facebook often for business use. Although not particularly high, this is almost three times more than the meagre nine per cent of those working in a consultancy role. Overall Facebook use by Corporate Users was considerably higher than for the Consultancies.

When it comes to Twitter, the difference between Corporate and Consultants was again particularly marked for business use. Almost 73 per cent of Corporate clients use Twitter either a little or often in business compared to 15 per cent of Corporates communicating or listening to market news and views in less than 140 characters.

The survey also confirmed the popularity of LinkedIn amongst both groups of its customers; the business networking website is visited often for personal and business use by professionals in both environments - almost half of consultants and half of corporates quizzed claim to use it often personally, while the same numbers again visit regularly for business purposes.

According to CR Systems' figures, Twitter provokes the biggest difference between the two groups. 85 per cent of respondents in a consultant role never use it for business use, compared to 27 per cent of Consultants claiming the same.

The biggest surprise in terms of use came with the results for Google+, where the popularity of the emerging platform for business communication was far more popular with the Consultancy group at 32 per cent using it often compared with a miserly three per cent of Corporate Users.

These figures also fit reasonably consistently with this summer's research from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which stated the UK is the second highest user of social networks in Europe, with almost half of the population using Facebook and/or Twitter on a daily basis. Of the age groups, 90 per cent of 16-24 year olds use a social network, followed by 74 per cent of 25-44 year olds. Interestingly, a fifth of 65-74 year olds also enjoy logging on.

So what does this mean for social media usage in the Learning and Development market?

Chris Ryan, MD of CR Systems, said: "Although our survey provided only a small shapshot of the useage, it is fascinating to see the difference between the way that two distinct groups within the same market sector appear to be using the different channels for business.

"On the face of things, it would appear that there might be some real opportunities for improved communication even within the HR market. Certainly it appears that some organisations may not be 'drinking in the same bars' as their current and potential clients.

"But maybe this is a conscious decision - in a survey by Huffington Post, it was revealed that 56 per cent of Tweets to brands by their customers are being ignored. Perhaps it is this that the HR industry is tuned into; HR, by its very nature, is a people-centric industry, with a great importance placed on face to face contact, personal interaction and understanding individuals. Obviously no tweet or status update or photograph can replace the enduring importance of human relations, but it can provide a touch point as part of an enduring relationship or perhaps more significantly as a way of getting to know a person or a company before embarking on a business relationship."

The full results can be viewed on http://crsystems.co.uk/social-media-report/

CR Systems provides best of breed surveys and specialist tests to the learning and development market to help organisations get the best from their people. Its solutions also include engagement surveys, psychometric surveys, aptitude tests, personality surveys, sales effectiveness surveys, exit and custom surveys. A new intelligent platform enables clients to mix and match their testing and diagnostics, providing a bespoke and flexible solution.

For further information, visit www.crsystems.co.uk

ENDS

Note - CR Systems segments their client base into two areas;

1. Corporate Clients, professionals generally working within the Learning and Development (L&D) departments of companies

2. Consultancy clients who provide complete training and development for the Corporate L&D market.