February 9, 2015
When Facebook burst onto the scene nearly 11 years ago, it was battling for a position in the new Internet medium called social networking. All it had to do was beat MySpace and a few other lesser-knowns at their own games, and it did so quickly and effectively.
With Facebook at Work, a new version of the platform limited to internal corporate communications and released to a small group of partners last week, the company is trying to break into the close-knit, old boys club that is the enterprise. Unlike the consumer social media market, the business sector isn't dominated by fly-by-night organizations funded by venture capitalists that are focused on daily active users.
Facebook's plans to enter the ring with some of the stalwarts of enterprise raise many questions for the IT staff that will use and support the new services.
Advertising and Facebook's Consumer Shackles
AJ Bellarosa, director of digital experience for business consulting firm Bluewolf, says employees at work don't want to be distracted by ads.
"Companies need to feel that they can communicate and collaborate internally without being tracked by the host platform," he says. "An investment in technology needs to positively impact employees' lives to drive engagement and adoption."
