This chapter focuses on the development of a new assessment tool: Social Networking and Individual Performance (SNIP). This tool can provide valuable data for organizations and even individuals. The data provided through use of the tool can determine whether employees are exhibiting behaviors that are supportive of the organization's goals, thus allowing everyone to benefit based on a return on the investment in time or attention that could lead to improved skills. Employees might then reap benefits like availability of new challenges or increased standing in the organization. The data can also provide insight on improving personal social media activities.
TopSNIP allows organizations to include performance considerations in the beginning stages of the social media journey and the subsequent policy decisions that must be created and adjusted. The survey offers leaders and planners three very important assets. First, the data analysis provides tools that address online interactions as they happen. Second, the data analysis suggests strengths, weaknesses, and perceptions, information that can be used to affect behaviors supportive of the organization’s goals and objectives. Finally, a focus on positive performance and supportive participation is built into the process, not bolted on after the program is already running. The process of developing and validating an effective instrument on a new population is extensive and requires data from many subjects collected from different samples on variables beyond what is contained in the instrument. SNIP can help with that process as explained in Table 1.
Table 1. The true value lies in evaluating social networking and individual performance differences in participation, behavior, technology acceptance, and trust. A formal evaluation of a person’s “SNIP score” could be instrumental in measuring acceptance and rejection. This is important because it is almost effortless for organizations to get involved in social networking activities. The questions about performance are inevitable based on the amount of time people spend online.
The SNIP approach urges organizations to ask questions about relationships between social networking and individual performance much earlier in the process. If that does not happen as part of the goal-setting that should precede social networking startup, it should happen as early in the process as possible. |
Snip Survey Instrument
Dr. Michael Brown and Jeremy Albright of Methods, Ann Arbor, Michigan collaborated on the SNIP assessment tool you see in these pages. The project got its focus from an interest in using Performance Improvement Potential (PIP) to create an assessment tool that would allow organizations to take full advantage of the relationship between social networking and individual performance. PIP is important because organizations may be more successful in getting employees to support a particular social media tool or follow a social media plan if they perceive there is a benefit in exhibiting those behaviors. If employees make a choice that organizations value, everyone could benefit based on a return on the investment in time or attention that could lead to improved skills, for example. This cooperation could bring additional benefits to employees in the form of availability of new challenges or increased standing in the organization.
A SNIP survey can help organizations profit from a value proposition that can lead to enhanced social networking participation. The wealth of knowledge and information exchange that could result from increased and/or improved performance could also provide a clear view of the dynamics of changes processes. The digital conversation is so dynamic and fast-paced that organizations should welcome any opportunity to have an influence on behaviors that enhance participation. SNIP presents that opportunity through a scoring system that provides empirical evidence of important relationships and adds measurement and feedback to these important activities.
The survey instrument is valuable because it allows organizations to collect data that can be analyzed quickly. If the response rate is sufficient based on the population demographics, the results can be generalized to other populations. This is an important benefit for organizations interested in aligning good social networking practices with other organizations and stakeholders. The findings to date suggest a reliable direction for planning programs and may set the stage for longitudinal studies that could help identify a range of best practices for organizations.