Analyzing Social Media's Effectiveness in Modern HR Functions

This report investigates the effectiveness of social media within Human Resources functions, highlighting its growing importance in business. It examines how HR professionals utilize social media for various tasks such as background verification, recruitment, company branding, and information gathering. The study, based on a survey of 104 HR professionals, analyzes the benefits and challenges of using platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. The findings reveal that while social media offers advantages like instant feedback and broader reach, HR professionals face difficulties such as time-consuming data sorting and clarity issues. The report concludes that despite these challenges, social media is an indispensable tool for modern HR practices.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN HR FUNCTIONS
Dr. N. Srividya
Dr. Rita Basu
Abstract
Social media is gaining popularity and every one now a days including children who are
not above the prescribed age are also participating in the social media. Actually if we do
not have an account in the any of the social media websites, you are an odd man out.
People use it for several purposes in their daily life and many people use it for
connectivity. There is no wonder that younger generations are addicted to it and change
their photos and profile regularly to gain attention. People are utterly at the back of
social media for acceptance. They even change their original identities to get liked by
others and to get acceptance from others. Even senior citizens are also actively
participating in this media. This paper illustrates all the usages of the social media not in
daily life or personal life, but in business especially in HR functions. As everything has
both positive and negatives, this also has. Many people use it for faulty or wrong
reasons. However this paper concentrates only on the positive things of the social media
that too in HR arena.
A random sample of 104 HR professionals is considered and a questionnaire was
circulated among them to collect the data. The data is again analysed and interpreted.
All the results of the research are presented in this paper with a final conclusion.
Keywords: Social media, Facebook, HR functions, Background verification, social
media websites.
1.0 Introduction
Social media has become inevitable in business arena especially in public relations and as
a marketing tool. It facilitates a good relationship with the customers and acts as a good
media for information exchange. But most of the contents are not regulated which paves
a way to post freely whatever they feel about anything under the sky. It is developing
very rapidly forcing the companies to acclimatize and accustom to these platforms keep
them abreast with their consumers.
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Lang and Benbunan-Fich (2010) define the social media as ‘web applications that
process, store, and retrieve user-generated content’ that resonates with other
contemporary characterisations.
Daily several new platforms are created in this media like Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare
and other blog sites. There is plethora of options from which a company can choose what
to follow to ensure the relationship and to remain in competition. All major companies
have their presence in social media sites and engage in social media marketing. This
paper emphasizes on the extent and scope of social media uses in the business scenario
especially in HR functions.
1.1 Theoretical Background
Social networking sites have become popular and the platforms change daily making the
companies necessary to update regularly. Many users have their profiles to comment on
the product reviews and customer service experiences. These profiles are more
influential than the media itself. Li and Bernoff (2008) mentions in his book
“Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies,” that the social
media can do good or bad to a company and offers various strategies to implement
various platforms.
The biggest threat is anybody can post any feelings, which may be headlines for the
journalists. Another threat is that most of the customers rely on product reviews and
posting on the social media for information even for internal communication of policies
within a company.
Most of platforms are available at no cost for the companies to participate for good
communication with audience for strong brand positioning. Most commonly used sites
are Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, YouTube Channels, and blogs. These are used for
several purposes like holding contests, engaging in conversation, updating,
announcements about new products and service on Internet depending on the need and
the audience. The following are the some of most popular sites.
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Twitter: Popular amongst 18-34 year olds Sentiments are posted in 140 characters or less
Facebook: 13-17 year olds User-generated profiles—users can join groups, upload
photos, become “friends” with other Facebook users, write on group and friend “walls”
and create events
FourSquare: 35-49 year olds
YouTube: 13-17 year olds Users upload and view user-generated videos
Digg: 18-34 year olds
Flickr: 13-34 year olds Users upload photos and create albums, photos can be shared
with other users
1.1.1 Social Media As a Research Site:
Social media can be used for research purpose also. Two methods are used like micro
blogging and other social media sites. (Agichtein et al., 2008; Honeycutt and Herring,
2009; Kwak et al., 2010; Oulasvirta et al., 2010) and social network analysis (Gilbert and
Karahalios, 2009; Java et al., 2007; Prieur et al., 2009). However, such practices are
limited in use and do not serve the purpose. These approaches work as research sites for
doing the research through social media though they are less suitable to the purpose.
Doing research about social media is brining relevant online materials and following or
participating in blogs, social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, You Tube), online
news sites (both professional and amateur), and face-to-face events.
2.0 Literature Review
Li and Bernoff (2008) identified that it became inevitable for companies to have their
presence in social media to increase the brand awareness and appeal to users. The social
media is placed into six categories and the best practices for marketing are explained with
viral campaigns. (Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1974), (Katz et al., 1974), (Rubin, 1994),
(Katz et al., 1974).
Miller (2000), found that social media compared to the previous sites is that this allows
users to share their experience, knowledge or information with the others and get
acknowledged by them by getting likes or sharing the content again with their friends.
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Threadline, web forums, hashtags, webinars are the few examples of this sort which helps
people to discuss, communicate and share a debate online(Rapport and Amit, 2002).
2.1 Role of Social media in HR functions
Social media is used for HR functions also. The areas that are more prominent in the
field are background verification of the candidates to apply for jobs, sourcing of CVs,
contacts, branding the company, recruitment, seeking information and getting others’
opinions on any matter.
2.2 Significance of the Study
Social media is becoming inevitable in the current business scenario. It is changing the
way of doing business traditionally. The prominent benefits are instant feedback and
connecting with audience. Hence, it is inevitable to adopt social media in the HR
functions of any business as early as possible.
3.0 Research Methodology
3.1 Objectives of Study
This study is about finding its versatile usages in HR functions.
 How Social Media is used in HR Functions
 Difficulties they face while using social media
 The information sought for in social media
 Websites Checked in the arena of social media
 Ways Of Using Social Media
3.2 Sampling:
3.2.1 Sample size: 104
3.2.2 Sampling Technique: Random sampling technique
3.2.3 Types of Sample: The questionnaire is circulated to several HR professionals who
actually deal with the social media for their regular work.
3.3 Procedure for Data Collection: A questionnaire is prepared and circulated on the
topics related to how social media is used in HR functions and the responses are collected
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on Likert five point scale namely Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Neither Agree Nor
Disagree (NAND), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD)
3.4 Result and Interpretation: These responses are tabulated and analysed with bar
graphs and other graphs. Appropriate interpretation is given for the tables. Percentage
analysis is done for the results.
4.0 Results and Interpretation:
In Table 1, the results are analysed by percentage analysis. This table shows how the
social media is used for HR purposes.
Table I: How Social Media is used in HR Functions
Sl.
No
Particulars Strongly
Agree
Agree Neither
Agree
Nor
Disagree
Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Weighted
Average
Percentages of Responses
1 Surfing 20.06 15.84 4.62 13.37 6.84 12.15
2 Job Portals 12 11 0 0 0 4.60
3 Competitors’
Information
0 18.21 33.46 6.95 0 11.72
4 Latest Trends 28.34 13.48 14.23 0 0 11.21
5 Trainers
Information
11.78 4.55 19.62 26.2 20 16.43
6 Advertisement 11.8 11.5 0 0 0 4.66
7 Background
Checking
0 6.74 4.62 27.27 0 7.73
8 Credibility of
Information
0 0 0 14 39 10.60
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Chart 1: How Social Media is used in HR Functions
Observation 1: 16.43 percentage of people use the social media for getting the
information about trainers and 12.15 percentage of people use for the surfing purpose.
Table II: Difficulties they face while using social media.
Sl. No Difficulties Faced By The
Respondents
Percentage of People
1 Long Time Taking 0
2 Huge Data 6.42
3 Sorting Take Long Time 18.85
4 Lack of Clarity 18.58
5 Any Other Than Mentioned Above 11.78
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Chart 2: Difficulties They Face While Using Social Media.
Observation 2: 18.85 percentage of the people feel it takes long time for sorting and
18.58 percentage people felt no clear data is obtained.
Table III. The information sought for in social media
Sl. No The Information Sought For In Social Media Percentage of People Seeking
1 About Previous Work, or Experience etc, 50
2 About The Background of The Candidate 50
3 Educational Qualifications 37.5
4 Recommendations From Others 37.5
5 Candidates’ Likes, Dislikes, Activities Etc 12.5
6 Candidates’ Hobbies, Interests 12.5
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7 Comments By Candidates 12.5
8 Pictures Posted By Candidates 12.5
9 Group Affiliations of The Candidate 25
10 Voluntary Services Undertaken 12.5
11 Projects Worked, Working 12.5
12 Comments By Friends 25
Chart 3: The Information Sought For In Social Media
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Observation 3: 50 percentage of the people checks the social media to find out the
previous work, previous experience etc and for the verification of background of the
candidates.
Table IV: Websites Checked In The Arena Of Social Media
Sl. No Websites Checked Percentage of People
1 www.linked.in 75
2 www.hire.timesjob 12.5
3 www.Olx.com 12.5
4 www.Naukri.com 62.5
5 www.Monster.com 25
6 www.employmentnews.gov.in 12.5
7 www.Shine.com 12.5
8 www.Timesjobs.com 25
9 www.click.in 12.5
10 Skype 25
11 FB 37.5
12 Twitter 25
13 www.CiteHR.com 12.5
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Chart 4: Websites Checked In the Arena Of Social Media
Observation 4: 75 percent people refer LinkedIn and 62.5 percent the people refer
Naukri.com websites for the information they seek. These are the prominent websites in
social media.
Table V: Ways of Using Social Media
S. No Ways of Using Social Media Percentage of People
1 Background Verification of Candidates 62.5
2 Sourcing of CVs 37.5
3 Getting or Finding Contacts 25
4 Branding their Own Company 37.5
5 Recruitment Purpose 25
6 Finding Details About Compensation 25
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Chart 5: Ways of Using Social Media
Observation 5: 62.5 of the people use the social media for the background verification of
the candidates and 37.5 percentage of people use social media for sourcing the CVs as
well as for branding their own company through advertisement.
4.1 Findings and Suggestions
From the above data, it is quite obvious how much the social media is beneficial for the
HR functions in the real life as well as corporate life. Though people are facing slight
difficulty using this, it is highly inevitable in the current business scenario.
4.2 Conclusion
From the above observations, the social media is gaining importance in the business
world. People use it for several purposes as mentioned above. Now we can say, that we
will find none who does not have an account in social media and who do not participate
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in the media. Even Government is encouraging the social media usage and it is also
participating in the media. It is not about whether to adopt social media or not. It is all
about how to and how quickly we can.
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