As companies continue to discover the power of social media, the India-based divisions of IBM and cloud-computers ECM are beginning to let their employees enter the fray.

“Social networking is serious business” profiles the two companies who are urging their employees to use networking tools to stay in touch and collaborate with friends and colleagues.

But it’s not just fun and games: each company has designed their own social networking software to enhance productivity. ECM uses ECM One, where employees collaborate online to “make presentations and exchange ideas,” while IBM uses LotusConnections – a tool similar to Facebook with profiles, blogs, photos, and forums. The internal success of LotusConnections has made it desirable for other companies, and IBM has licensed the social collaboration software to the likes of Colgate and India phone company Airtel. The bottom line: with proper planning, a social collaboration system can help companies improve their workflow.

Sam Hartman, March 5, 2010

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