Wachovia Inserts Web 2.0 Into Daily Work Life

Let me start with this, HOO RAY!!! Another company gets it!!!

These past months a trickle of companies have started implementing ways to further engage and enhance communication among employees and internal business groups. A trickle is of course a start but I do wonder how long until a small but steady stream is running.

While Wachovia cites retaining Baby Boomer knowledge, trimming travel expenses, and lowering amount of paper used, it is of course the recruiting and retention part that has me most cheering.

I am tired of companies saying letting employees use Facebook and other social networks is a time waster. Or that the demographic is too young for them.

Knock, knock. HEEELLLOOOOO!!! In 3-5 years these folks will be approaching 30. In 3-5 years these will be the folks most needed by your company. Better to be proactive by retaining the ones you have and recruit their friends and people they know than start from scratch in 3-5 years when it is too late.

From InformationWeek, Enterprise 2.0: Wachovia Turns To Wikis, Blogs To Support Growth:

To connect its 100,000-plus employees, the financial services company is rolling out a slew of new collaboration tools anchored by Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)'s Sharepoint Server. Under the plan, Wachovia is adding wikis, blogs, instant messaging, social networking sites, and other Web 2.0 technologies to traditional methods like e-mail, according to Fields.

Beyond connecting employees around the world, Wachovia's collaborative environment is designed to attract -- and retain -- younger Generation Y employees who expect access to Web 2.0 tools at work. "They grew up in the flat world," said Fields. "They're used to playing video games with kids in Poland."

Fields said that many of corporate America's young workers' engagement levels "fall off the table" after about a year on the job because "we give them no means of input."

To change that, Wachovia is giving its Gen Y workers a role in helping its Enterprise 2.0 makeover succeed. Younger employees are assigned to teach senior staffers about the benefits of using collaborative networks.

Way To Go Wachovia