By Sayoh Mansaray, e-Management
Did you know that the Google Hangouts app is good for social networking and online group conversations at home or work?
In today’s social media saturated world, it is nearly impossible to avoid using social media in the workplace. In fact, incorporating social media tools has many benefits, and can help employees continue to be productive by encouraging collaboration. Combining social media tools such as Google Hangouts with the workplace can also help bring different generations of workers together.
What is Google Hangouts?
Google Hangouts is a platform that offers video conferencing and instant messaging. The free service is similar to Skype, which is a program on which users can chat via webcam or instant messaging.
Nowadays most workers have demanding schedules, and face-to-face meetings can be nearly impossible to organize. With Google Hangouts, people can come together, as a group — virtually. The platform acts as a stand-in for face-to-face interaction, and allows employees to communicate. Users can access the platform from their personal computers, and can interact even if they are miles away from each other.
How do you use Google Hangouts?
Individual users first need to create a Gmail account. Once the Gmail account is created, the user is automatically given a Google+ account. Google+ is then used to log onto Google Hangouts.
What are the pros and cons to using Google Hangouts?
Pros…
- No cost to use the platform
- Easy to download and learn how to use
- Ability to mimic face to face interaction
- Allows users who are far away to participate
Cons…
- Limited number of people (15) can sign onto the hangout at one time
- Convincing “social media averse” coworkers to join in can be a challenge (although the ease of use is a great selling point)
What is an example of Google Hangouts being used in the professional world?
A federal program office facilitates Citizens’ Advisory Boards (CABs) across the country. One CAB uses Google Hangouts for some of its committee meetings. Board members who live further away are able to attend meetings that they may have otherwise had to miss. A significant portion of the board members are unaccustomed to social media, and have found Google Hangouts easy and convenient to use.
Where will Google Hangouts go in the future?
It is very likely Google Hangouts will continue to grow. The use of the platform will most likely become more widespread, especially as demands in the workplace become more challenging. (1) What are your thoughts on social media, especially Google Hangouts, at work? (2) Do you currently use Google Hangouts in the workplace, and if so, does it work well for you? (3) Where do you predict the platform will go in the future? (4) Do you think video conferencing will ever be able to completely replace face-to-face meetings?
Tags: , Generation Y, , hangouts, Ola Sage, Sayoh Mansaray, Social Media, workplace
@Sayoh, thanks for stepping in and posting this cool entry on social media.
(1) I am all for social media in the workplace for marketing and branding. It’s a great way to engage supporters, partners, customers, and other audiences. I find social media helps to define a company’s personality. Regarding Google hangouts…it seems like a great tool for small organizations, especially nonprofits that may have limited budgets or small business start-ups with distributed or nontraditional workplaces.
(2) I’m not using hangouts as much as I should…but you have convinced me to try it more…
(3) Social media is too unpredictable to make accurate forecasts. But I hope Google will connect social media more to gaming and education/training (e-learning)…and even virtual reality
(4) Face to face meetings are best in my opinion….but video conferencing offers more options. Still it is plausible video conferencing could become the preferred way of meeting over the next 20-25 years.
My disclaimer: I am in love with Google for business. And, it is a travesty for any company not to be taking advantage of Google products such as Google Hangouts, YouTube, GMail, etc. lol
Social media in the workplace has so many benefits!
1) It can be used as an incentive to offer employees a more flexible schedule. I think the days of working physically in the office are evolving and businesses would also want to find ways to evolve with the changing workforce.
2) Social media can actually expand a company’s workforce, increase the talent pool, and gain industry knowledge from multiple thought leaders (for free!)
3) Social media and other web-based productivity tools promotes a team-like environment and can knock down the silos that are seen in many companies.
(I could go on and on about the benefits of social media! lol)
Unfortunately, depending on a companies culture, social media is not widely accepted for many reasons too. Many people equate the “social” as an invasion of their privacy and feel they will need to expose their personal SM channels to the company.
There are tools out there that a company can use in lieu of direct social media tools (such as Hangouts) that would prove to be just as effective. There are some intranet services that create an internal web-based social media-like environment.
Social media is inevitable for building the klout of a company, but in terms of productivity, I think a company would need to assess all options that can meet whatever goals they have in place.
Where do I think Google Hangouts will go? As far as Google and the users intend to take it! Hangouts have been around for awhile, but has grown ever so popular when Google transformed it’s “Chat” feature in Gmail. They got rid of Chat and integrated “Hangouts” into Gmail. So, as it used to be a separate service that individuals had to sign up to use through Google+, now anyone holding a Gmail account uses a hangout even if it is for a mere chat. Now, the capabilities for Hangouts for a company are also awesome! Not only can a company use Hangouts for business meetings, but it can used for LIVE streaming of Webinars or you can record it and then save it for later.
I just recently launched Google+ for a large organization, so the nerd in me looks forward to being able to incorporate more social media to help achieve business goals.
(I know I gave you more than you asked, but this topic is right up my alley! lol)
I will share a small part of a conversation I had today with a former college student. He avoids books and prefers to find the required information on the Web. Even emails are weird to him. I think he is actually representative of a large percentage of how many persons think. In fact, over 90 percent of the emails I use are for business purposes. Most of my personal messages are done via social media. Whether we embrace it or not, social media is here to stay. I guess there will always be some who refuse to use it. I know of someone who refuses to own a mobile phone. He is retired, almost irrelevant and few listen to him. There are always the odd outlier or two. My attitude is: ‘If the technology is there, use it and don’t get left behind’.
Social is the current means of success. How you navigate its use will determine how successful or unsuccessful you will be. For those who opt out I think its just an easy path to not learning the skills to make them successful. It’s much the same as when computers came along. Of course you will have those who abuse the median. This can be monitored and shouldn’t be an obstacle for any company to incorporate social media into their advertising/marketing or interdepartmental processes. In my current position, without social media, I can see no way I could have been successful as I have. As much as I don’t like some forms or use of it, it works.
@Dennis, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agreed that social media is a useful tool for branding a company. Glad I’ve convinced you to use Google Hangouts a bit more.
@Jamie, you’ve made some great points! I agree that social media can help make flexible schedules an option for employees. I also agree that there are barriers that restrict some companies from integrating Google Hangouts into the workplace. Good luck bringing social media into to more companies!
@Keith, you’re right about social media being here to stay. The people who refuse to adapt will probably just remain out of the loop. And I know I wouldn’t be able to survive without a cell phone– I actually forgot mine at home today and I’m struggling without it!
@Brian, good points. Technology will continue to grow and evolve, and I agree that social media is becoming necessary for success in the workplace.
Thanks for this amazing article. Indeed, Google Hangouts for business can be a great asset to a company of any size. It makes it ideal for smaller businesses and startups. Hangouts allows you to easily connect with employees, business colleagues, and clients using calls and videos, making it convenient for those who travel or work from home. It also gives you the flexibility of connecting from virtually any device. You can share files as you chat via Google Drive, stream live broadcasts and offer webinars, hold staff meetings, and more.
Great Article Sayoh! Social media is taking over and is really here to stay. Look at how many applications are managed using credentials from applications like FaceBook and Google+! The integration of these applications are what is driving the social media into markets that actually assist people with similar interests to connect in person. I use hangouts as a DJ because it allows people who follow me or people who are interested in attending my events KNOW exactly where I am at the exact moment in time. Some of the navigation applications which are also integrated with Facebook and Google+ can seamlessly alert Friends and Family of your location just in case your friends are spontaneous and don’t mind charting your location and meeting. I love the tools and enjoy the services/solutions that they provide. Thanks for sharing your thoughts….
@Tyrone, thanks for reading! You’re right about how important the integration of applications is in today’s social media-focused world. And it sounds like Google Hangouts is very helpful for your job as a DJ!
@Paul, thanks for sharing your thoughts! You’re right that Hangouts allows users to easily connect with others and gives users flexibility.