An enterprise social network: What it is, and how it can transform your workplace

Your employees already know how to connect online. They scroll, post, comment, and share nearly every day on their personal social media accounts. An enterprise social network brings those same habits into the workplace, but with a focus on collaboration, culture, and getting their best work done together.

Let’s take a look at what an enterprise social network is, why it’s helpful, and how to make it a benefit (rather than a burden) for your employees. 

What is an enterprise social network?

An enterprise social network (ESN) is like a social media platform that exists just for your organization.

It looks a lot like other social networks that your employees are used to (like Facebook or LinkedIn), but it’s only for your employees. They’re the only ones who can connect, post, and consume content in that space. 

ESNs can vary but, in general, they include:

• Newsfeeds for updates and posts (from employees and the company as a whole).
• Comments, likes, and reactions.
• Groups or communities for teams, projects, or interests.
• File and link sharing.
• Searchable knowledge and conversations.
• Profiles and directories to find colleagues.

From emails and instant messages to project management platforms and shared docs, your employees already have other places where they can communicate and collaborate. So, what’s the point of an enterprise social network?
 

It gives people a more relaxed, social space to connect and communicate—outside of meetings or project-focused email threads. Think of it as the digital equivalent of the breakroom or hallway conversation; a place where conversations happen naturally and connections happen across teams and levels.

Why an enterprise social network is (really) worth it

Do you absolutely need an enterprise social network for your company? Not necessarily. It’s not as widely adopted as other communication channels like email or instant messaging. But, even if an enterprise social network isn’t a staple of the working world quite yet, implementing one can be a smart idea. An enterprise social network can help your organization:

• Break down silos. Organizational silos—the term for when teams or departments work in isolation without sharing information, goals, and processes—are a common challenge that leaders are eager to address. With an enterprise social network, employees from across the organization can quickly and easily share ideas, files, and best practices in a central space.
• Encourage collaboration. In addition to knowledge sharing, an enterprise social network gives teams a place to work together and communicate, even about trivial topics. Employees can forge stronger bonds with each other, which makes for smoother collaboration.
• Improve communication. How many times have you missed an important note in an endless email thread or forgotten something that was said offhand in a meeting? Your enterprise social network makes announcements and updates more visible and interactive.
• Build culture and engagement. An enterprise social network isn’t just a place to share status updates and work-related resources. It’s a spot where you can celebrate wins, give shoutouts, and spark casual conversations. All of that helps foster a sense of connection and belonging across your organization.
• Support innovation: More than 80% of executives say that innovation is one of their top three priorities. You can use your enterprise social network to crowdsource ideas, collect feedback, and tap into the brilliance of your entire team.
• Strengthen employee voices: Not everyone is comfortable speaking up in a meeting or brainstorming session, and research shows that introverts can experience disadvantages at work. Your enterprise social network is accessible to all employees, giving them a space where they can chime in without the pressure of a live or in-person conversation.
• Enhance onboarding and learning: Your enterprise social network is a solid resource for all of your employees, but especially your new hires. They can easily find information, ask questions, and connect with their colleagues as they get up to speed. 
   

Is an enterprise social network right for your organization?

The benefits are compelling. But tool fatigue is real, and it’s normal to feel wary of adding one more thing to your team’s tech stack. The key is figuring out if an ESN will actually solve the problems your team is struggling with. 

This simple checklist will help you decide. If you check three or more boxes, an enterprise social network will drive more connection and collaboration (without adding unnecessary noise):

• We struggle with information getting lost in emails or chats.
• Our employees want more ways to collaborate across teams or locations.
• We’re looking for better ways to share knowledge and resources at scale.
• We want to strengthen culture and engagement beyond formal communication.
• We have a growing or distributed workforce that needs a central place to connect.
• We’re confident employees will actually use (and not ignore) another platform.
   

5 tips to encourage employees to engage with your enterprise social network

The last thing you want to happen is to roll out an enterprise social network that’s nothing more than a ghost town. You want people to use that space to actively engage and connect. 

Yet humans are hardwired to resist change, meaning your ESN probably won’t be a “build it and they will come” type of thing. You’ll need to be proactive about educating people about the platform and its purpose and generating enthusiasm about interacting there. Here’s how. 

1. Designate ambassadors.

Sometimes you just need to get the ball rolling. Enlist a few employees from across your organization to be part of your enterprise social network team.

They can help with testing and selecting your platform and then also be the ones who start posting content, interacting, and encouraging engagement from others. This approach feels more inviting and authentic than a directive handed down from leadership.

2. Encourage managers to lead by example.

While other employees can help to set the tone, most people expect their managers to take the lead in spearheading change and modeling behaviors. 

Meet with your leaders and managers to explain that they should actively post, comment, and recognize employees on your ESN. When people see engagement from the top, they’re more likely to join in. 

3. Make it useful and positive.

Use your ESN to shout out wins, birthdays, milestones, and team achievements. People crave recognition at work, so they’re more likely to check in when it becomes a place where they feel seen and appreciated. 

Fun posts matter, but encourage teams to share real work updates, resources, and answers to questions so that the platform is something that actually helps them in their daily work. The more useful it is, the more likely they are to spend their time there. 

4. Encourage interaction.

This holds true on any type of social media network: If you want engagement, you need to give people a reason to engage.

For example, ask questions, run polls, or crowdsource ideas. Something as simple as asking people to vote on where to cater lunch from or where you should host your next team off-site invites contributions from your employees, rather than your ESN becoming a place for leadership announcements.

5. Set clear ground rules.

You want your social network to be a source of collaboration, not frustration. Clear expectations are the key. 

Set guidelines on how and when employees should use the ESN versus other communication channels. Should a quick question be posted to your ESN or an instant message channel? Should any project-related communication happen in your ESN, or should it be reserved for your project management platform?

Ironing out these ground rules from the start helps employees understand what belongs where, so your enterprise social network provides clarity, not chaos and confusion.

Clarity, connection, and collaboration

An enterprise social network isn’t here to replace your existing tools. It’s meant to fill in the gaps. It provides a digital spot where employees can connect, share, and collaborate in ways that feel more natural.

When it’s done right, your ESN can improve communication, strengthen your culture, and make your workplace feel more connected than ever.