Social networking in office ... thats the way to GO!!

Atos Origin sets out its ambition to be a zero email company within three years

07-Feb-2011 - Atos Origin says it's time to ease information pollution, just as environmental pollution was reduced after the industrial revolution.
Atos Origin sets out its ambition to be a zero email company within three years
Atos Origin set out its ambition to be a zero email company within three years.
Speaking at the fourth in a series of innovation press conferences, Atos Origin CEO and Chairman, Thierry Breton, addresses the challenges organizations face as a result of the explosion in data.
He explains his ambition to eradicate all emails between Atos Origin employees by using instead improved communication applications as well as new collaboration and social media tools.
Breton said: “We are producing data on a massive scale that is fast polluting our working environments and also encroaching into our personal lives. At Atos Origin we are taking action now to reverse this trend, just as organizations took measures to reduce environmental pollution after the industrial revolution.
“The volume of emails we send and receive is unsustainable for business. Managers spend between 5 and 20 hours a week reading and writing emails. They are already using social media networking more than search, and spend 25 per cent of their time searching for information. “At Atos Origin, for example, we have set up collaboration tools and social community platforms, to share and keep track of ideas on subjects from innovation and Lean Management through to sales. Businesses need to do more of this - email is on the way out as the best way to run a company and do business.”
The focus of Atos Origin is to adopt innovative social business solutions in the workplace to bridge the ‘social business gap.
Built on collaborative technology these solutions provide a more personal, more immediate and importantly more cost effective means to manage and share information that supports the way of working in the 21st century and enables the Smart Organization.
In line with its wellbeing at Work Programme launched in 2009 to support its goal of being one of the best places to work, it has implemented a number of initiatives to improve communication and information sharing across its organization.
For example, it is encouraging the use of tools such as Office Communicator and has set up social community platforms to share and keep track of ideas on subjects from innovation and Lean Management through to sales.
Initial feedback is that these type of tools reduce email by between 10 and 20% immediately.
Information overload – the facts:
• By 2013, more than half of all new digital content will be the result of updates to, and editing of existing information
• Online social networking is now more popular than email and search
• Middle managers spend more than 25% of their time searching for information
• 2010 : Corporate users receive 200 mails per day, 18% of which is spam

Source: http://news.top-consultant.com/UK/news_story.aspx?ID=7606

Change Management
How to bring about 'Change' in the organisation

I am the Lion!! :) 

I sat, sipping on my drink one day, in the cozy set of events when suddenly an IDEA pops up. The Jack Welch bug has bit me at times before but this time its deeper and infectious. Exuberance!!!

I think we can introduce some much desired changes in few of our functional domains, I am quite excited about the idea, but I need to get some more perspectives on it. Can I share the idea with anyone? Who? Well its just an idea and I am still not sure I would like to baffle anyone with all my thoughts, so I choose to do it in 'Bits n Parts'.

I call the C-Finance and throw him some random ideas about what can be done to improve the bottom line or  increase our top line. In between I slip in 'The first part' of my idea. The idea seems to generate interest. Next I meet the C-information and discuss 'another part' which can bring in much needed integration of data flow for the purpose of decision making.

I seem to be getting a better grip on my idea. The Sum of parts seem to be getting bigger and better than the Sum itself.

I take a closer look at what now seems like a good idea. I think again -
Why implement this idea?
What does the organization get out of this?
What are my organizational values?
Does this idea comply with those values?
How passionate am I about the idea? Am I completely convinced?

I justify myself. I develop a conviction.

I know its time to introduce change and to do that I take clues from the most basic framework for discussing behavioral and organisational change - The Lewin-Schein Model of Change (developed by Lewis and expanded by Ed Schein).

UNFREEZE the people. The first step is to 'Plant the Idea'. I call my C-level colleagues and make them 'Visualize my dreams' - The very people who are going to drive this idea; bring about this change.

As I plant the seed for thought, I keep 'Nourishing It' constantly.
"Do you think the idea has any merit", I ask my colleagues.
"Sure Boss, it definitely does.".
"Well keep thinking about it, let me know if there is anything else you may like to come up with."
I engage them into enabling my dreams.

And as the idea captures fancy, I start 'socializing the Idea with other people'. Call it 'Change Mapping network'. Involve a larger audience.

Next is the 'GAP analysis'. Get hold of 'the apprehensions & fear of the people' who are going to implement, test and accept it. The question I need to answer is -
        are people ready to accept the change?
        what is the readiness of my people to accept the change?

MOVING Ahead.
All set, I am ready for execution. I now seek an expert's advice (external/internal consultant) who can manage the entire transformation.

REFREEZING...
As I see through the entire change get implemented in phases, I keep myself aware of the reality....... there are CATs & DOGS. It be seen that both of these animals get comfortable with and used to this change.... sooner the better.

As I once again sit on the porch of my house sipping on a smooth quarter-century old whiskey I remind myself again that my job is still half done. No change is complete until --
1. The Participant and the stakeholders are well informed and aware of the change
2. They accept the change in all its etirety
3. Employ the benefits of change to use.


Naman