This IPA and Acas have published their new research - Going Digital? Harnessing Social Media for Employee Voice - which examines the extent to which employers are making use of social media to promote and access employee voice. 

The use of social media has grown exponentially in the last decade. Currently, around one employer in two makes use of a social media tool. However, use of social media by employers is largely focused externally on marketing and engaging with customers rather than internally to engage with employees to promote employee voice. 

How are organisations using social media to access employee voice

This report looks at enterprise social networks, which have common features of other social media platforms, but are close and exclusive, with membership restricted to an individual organisation and investigates why more number of employers aren't using such tools to engage in a genuine two-way communication with their employees.

Our case studies and the wider research identified some clear good practice for employers looking to make effective use of enterprise social networks for employee voice. 

With some excellent case studies from organisations like Lloyds Register, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Nampak, Oxfam GB, and Southeastern, we look at how organisations are using internal social media tools to engage with their employees, access voice and drive innovation and collaboration. 

In addition to the six case studies, the research included a review of literature and survey data, interviews with experts in this area, a roundtable discussion and a webinar.

To download the full report please click here.