Social Networking for Employee Engagement in the Hospitality Industry

This study explored the efficacy of using a company focused on-line social networking site to improve communication in an organization by facilitating the development of a community of practice and improving mentoring opportunities. It used a quasi-experimental approach to evaluate whether or not a relationship existed between participation in the on-line social networking site and employee job satisfaction, commitment to the company, and social capital. The experiment employed a mixed method research approach, analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data. The experiment was performed as a field experiment in an existing casino hotel with management approval and cooperation.;No significant relationship was found between participation in the on-line social networking site and employee commitment to the organization. A negative relationship was found between participation in the on-line social networking site and the satisfaction subcategory of communication. The greatest decrease in satisfaction post implementation was among salaried employees for overall satisfaction and for the subcategories of communication and rewards. Employees who participated in the on-line social networking site experienced an increase in social capital as indicated by the number of participants who reported new friendships, the strength of the friendship ties, and subsequent face-to-face meetings. Activity levels on the social networking site were relatively low.;The qualitative analysis revealed that employees in the organization viewed communication with senior management and mentoring as very important. Many employees believed that an online social networking site could be an effective tool in enhancing employee communication with management, and finding appropriate mentors: as long as senior management engaged actively on the site and employees had access to the site. Employees felt that it may not be as effective in strengthening the mentor/protegee relationship however because face-to-face communication and the ability to confide confidential information to ones mentor are important aspects of building a strong relationship. Two barriers that prevented management from actively engaging on the site were lack of time and a reluctance to reveal personal information about oneself on the site. The reluctance of several of the management employees interviewed rose to the level of fear of participation leading to negative outcomes.