These tools are to redefine their missions

Here a few weeks, Danone will have its internal "Facebook". 35,000 Employees of the Group equipped with a computer will be able to complete their profile: routes, networks, centres of interest... And thus exchange information and good practices. "It is for us the way to develop skills other than those for which they are employed." But that can also be useful to the company, explains Nicolas Rolland, Director of the development of the Organization of the group. This tool will allow us to lower the centre of gravity of decision making. Because today the expertise is no longer only in the hierarchy but also in the "peer", he says."

Does the spirit of Web 2.0 finally benefit the company It's time! "When they landed in the world of work, young graduates discover often with horror the delay by their employers in this type of practice", observes Eric Blot, co-founder of the Agency Awak'iT. Aware of the effect foil on this generation, the companies put recently overdrive. "All of our customers seek us now the interactive", provides Xavier Cazard, Associate Director of Entrecom.

Directors of internal communication are in the front line. It is indeed quite often by them that the Web TV, social networks, blogs and other wikis are in the business. These tools are to redefine their missions. "Yesterday these managers were primarily owners of media off line, today they have the opportunity to become facilitators of network", said Michel Germain, Professor at the Celsa and Director associated with the Arctus Agency. A network which would be more employees the passive recipients of a vertical information nor the consenting proxy for business in the journal communications internal, but real co-producers of content.

Corollary: this involves opening new spaces of expression and to accept to surrender some control over the information, with the idea that internal communication is not necessarily intended to be used by the branch. According to a study (2007) Cabinet Ecins, one-third of employees feel the newspapers little credible company and 16 (compared to 9 ten years ago) believe that they have much less critical than before. "Even the intermediate framing sentence suggests to the speech that he is responsible for relay with his team," notes Yannick Le Bourdonnec, Vice-President of the verb (Publicis Consultants) Agency, which conducted a study on the subject. Almost a manager on two (55 exactly) governing at least ten people judge this unreliable speech, confirms the study.

For the time being, the directors of internal communication still use tools of 2.0 with caution. For many, they are above all the opportunity to deploy a more user-friendly communication. Thus L'Oreal opened for a little more than a year a new participatory intranet, My news. "Employees can post comments on articles written by the 170" communicating "authorized internationally." We seek to offer a more attractive tool which want to go to learn ", explains the internal dircom, Valérie Nowak." Judging by the increase in attendance - 30 000 monthly visits against 10 500 earlier - the mission seems to be rather busy.

Much more modern than paper, the Web TV win they also increasingly favours of enterprises. However, many of them simply to broadcast video magazines without real interactivity. Witness, the series of soothing reports made by Arcelor Mittal to better embody the merger. Orange, in his internal JT monthly, allows employees to guide the choice of topics. But there is no direct trade without moderation.

By encouraging its employees to participate in the content of its Web TV, launched late last year, General Electric innovates. "All the reporters candidates may receive training in the use of tools and editing techniques," said the Director of the Europe, Frank Farnel communication. A priori subjects coming feed topics techno, wellness, diversity will not moderate. "Is part of the principle that our employees are responsible," he added.

Give more hand to employees. This is the challenge. Accenture France there worked his way leaving carte blanche 25 teams of five consultants to explain their business image. "Of the"lip dub"- voice on a tube - Office in mind schoolboy, the young dad trying to initiate her daughter to the mysteries of his day's work, the result allowed out of the figures of style specific to this type of exercise." The most interesting is the authenticity and emotion that is

release of these films, says communication Director Carole Tanguy." Moreover, co-creation favours. Placed on a specific platform on the intranet, these videos have been seen by almost all of the collaborators.

But what makes especially fantasize the company, at the moment, it is Facebook, the best known social network in the world. But the model is not so easy to convert. "The tool does not generate network", said Christine Goavec, internal dircom of the Orange group. The operator has launched since already two years several social networks of employees particularly on trades as international strategic marketing. 4 000 Managers concerned were invited to create their individual card and submit to the community their possible motions in a spirit of participatory management. "It is soon realized that fault of animation, the spontaneous expression dry up", recognizes Eric Blot, who advises the operator. Hence the need to work first on uses by including creating an environment conducive to the Exchange.

This is what makes Danone. As of 2003 the agri-food group has sought to develop collaborative culture and the sharing of experience. Today it has almost 200 active communities by trade, service, project or country. The launch of the Dan 2.0 network should find its audience quickly enough. "Our behavioral logic is already well established", assured Nicolas Rolland. For the time being, Danone aimed especially its network for professional use. There are certainly other more personal uses. To accompany its employees in their passions, Orange offers now to describe on a specific network and invites them to share a calendar of activities. "If they are to want to run the marathon in New York, they may as well do so under the colors of Orange," said Christine Goavec.

Unexpected consequence of the emergence of social networks in the enterprise, the rapprochement between the internal communication and human resources. The subject indeed intersects the two areas of competence. At Danone project is worn by the HRD, the communication is responsible for its dissemination. But see how it could benefit tomorrow this internal Facebook to improve his knowledge of employees and therefore better target its messages internal. Social networks in business can also be justified on much smaller communities. General Electric has just launch one specially for its 20 top managers. It allows these executives, always on the move, to interact on the basis of the information that they come online, or even share their agenda. All through the intranet. All the 2.0 tools focus in General on this portal. "These virtual agoras have vocation to become more interactive with an informative part open to all, shaped top, based on the hierarchical level of the employee, and custom down." With most collaborative part, with all communities of the company, seat of its collective intelligence ", argues Michel Germain." Therefore, the 2.0 tools are not intended to remain the preserve of internal communication.

However, it is an area where they are still struggling to break through: the social and strategic directions. "Traditionally, internal communication deals mainly with issues trade or market", justifies Xavier Cazard. "There are few companies who, as GE, provide the opportunity for employees to ask anonymous questions to their leaders in"cats"regular." It is a wrong ", assured Eric Blot. A failure to offer spaces of expression of this type, the employees will go create them elsewhere. And the company will not be able to participate. SFR made the experience, in a strike, two years ago. At the time, its new participatory intranet begins to open up to these issues. "Should not develop interactivity everywhere." The company also has need of top-down information. And it managers to ensure direct communication on the hottest topics ", in chorus counter all recalcitrants."

"If employees were accustomed to a regular exchange with their President through a blog, in blow they could probably remain more serene, ensures Sophie Pène, Vice-President of Paris Descartes, Professor of information and communication science. Because today the strategy cannot be explained by a simple down message. It is by example, through an ability to innovation, a provision to live in uncertainty that it brings. "Things could evolve with the crisis." I have several blogs of current patterns projects ", said Eric Blot." But in anticipation of... layoffs!