The ROK metric

The session was advertised as discussing blogs and employees, so of course I was there. But really it was about measuring the value of chocolate kisses. The short answer is that if your measure of success is attendance, chocolate kisses work ! In fact they work so well that a competing speaker (Lou!) was seen actually stealing kisses to boost attendance at his table. In fact, the leftover kisses had residual value since they were still attracting people to the table an hour later!

But one would expect such a sophisticated research tactic from Dr. Don Wright of the University of South Alabam and Michelle Hinson, Director of Development for the Institute for Public Relations. given that they were discussing employee blogs. They reported on the results of a study of IPR, Page and IPRA members about the use and attitudes of employee blogs.

Professioal communicators from around the world were asked 18 questions about employee blogs. The results were fascinating.

• 45% said that they were aware of employees blogging.
• More than half (59%) think employers should be allowed to discipline or terminate employees who post damaging, embarassing or  negative information about the employer.
• Only 23% support fellow workers being free to post criticism.
• 49% says it's ethical to write negative statements.
• 79% said it was ethical to monitor what employees say in blogs.
• 89% said it was ethical to conduct research based on what employees are saying, but most don't do it.
• Half of the organizations not currently measure employee blogs, but say they will in the future.
• The most significant differences were between US and foreign respondents.
• More men feel that is ethical to discpline employees than women.

• 59% of CEOs rate blogs as a  good or very good tool for internal communications.

• IBM has more than 15,000 registered employee blogs.

• Only 15% of  US companies have policies discussing work-related blogs.

• Most people felt it was up to the employee to be ethical in his/her blog.