Don’t let the IT department take away the water cooler!
24 April 2007
Most IT departments spend time worrying about how to stop employees doing things (installing software, using MSN, accessing MySpace, etc, etc.). It’s what they’re paid to do.
But those same companies are also wondering how to attract and retain talent, make people more productive and increase collaboration.
That’s a complete disconnect.
It’s also why I like this quote from Ross Mayfield, CEO of Socialtext, at a panel discussion at the Web 2.0 Expo:
“If you take away the water cooler, you just make people more thirsty”
Business leaders: think about this before you let your IT departments convince you that it’s the right thing to do
IT departments: make sure your business leaders understand this before they tell you to do it
Leslie Leite
24 April 2007
7:03 pm
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Thanks for pointing to our recent video. You’ve hit a key point (talent retention) that will only grow to be more problematic as the Net Generation comes increasingly in to the workforce. These new employees, who’ve been linked up and LinkedIn since they could use a keyboard, will find these types of corporate control even more restrictive than the existing workforce.
Leslie Leite
Community Manager
BNET
Leslie Leite
27 April 2007
3:48 pm
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And if they DO want to take water cooler, make sure they won’t take this one! http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/bitsandpieces/images/heinekencooler.gif
Kalle
Ted Graham
8 May 2007
3:11 am
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Did someone try to take away the watercooler?
Leslie Leite
23 May 2007
4:15 pm
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Niall,
We’ve just added several articles on Web 2.0 and business, and it has several ways these tools apply to marketing.
You can find Putting Web 2.0 to Work at:
<http://www.bnet.com/2406-13068_23-66097.html>
Leslie Leite
BNET