On November 18, 2014, the chapter kicked off a new online event series “IABC-LA Learning Lounge: Hot Topics in Communications.”  In one pithy and productive lunch hour, IABC-LA members shared experience on social media, intranet engagement and career advancement. The online event format allowed for very efficient and effective resource sharing, and most of all, for members to reach out to other members to gain more fluency in a particular platform, software or resource.  Board Member Nick Duggan of Citrix hosted the webinar.

Highlights included:

• An in-depth discussion on whether or not larger companies engage social media, both externally and internally.
  • Challenges faced by members included: social media generally used yet compliance, info security and corporate reputation issues (Board Member Vinca Russell of Amgen), how to get C-suite execs involved and model productive social media behavior; external corporate social media communities thrive yet internal communities are challenged.
  • What’s working: Merging/blending social media with real world events as a cornerstone comms strategy (not an offshoot).
  • Bill Spaniel complimented Janie Warren of Disney’s “dig-deep usage” of social media. Janie said it’s a work-in-progress at Disney to use social media tools that fully engage employees.
• “SharePoint is so ubiquitous.” stated IABCLA President Mike Spasoff. He noted most major companies are not as educated on the competition. So what’s emerging in the intranet world?
  • Jive got Rebecca Gallagher’s attention in terms of it’s internal security benefits.
  • Igloo specifically markets itself against SharePoint. “Igloo is an intranet you’ll actually like” is the tagline.
  • Denise Pierre recommends prescientdigital.com
• • Nick Duggan of Citrix stated it takes 2-3 years for a new system to be embraced by employees or an audience. Change is hard. Yet benefits those who resist it the most, initially. Leslie Dodson of Kaiser Permanente noted KP had to take something away in order to put something in place. KP took a paper system away that did not facilitate sharing of information in a truly engaged way. While an uproar happened initially, now KP physicians “can’t live without the portal.”

Everyone on the call got at least one very valuable resource takeaway to use in his/her respective work environment.

What’s on your communications mind? The IABC-LA Learning Lounge: Hot Topics in Communications webinar series invites you to engage, discover and gain resources to conquer your next communications challenge…while helping another member!