[Updated January 27, 2014] I speak with many organizations about the benefits of social business in the workplace. My talks are sprinkled with statistics about our changing world. There are far more interesting numbers and resources than I could ever reference so I’m creating this post (which will get revised over time) to point you to their sources. Consider this not a complete list, rather a place to start.
Research and Analysis sites
Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization, provides free data and analysis on the social impact of the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.
Trendspotting focuses on internet trends in marketing research and predictions (they are one of many of the terrific trend sites noted in the TrendBlog for Business & Web)
IBM 2013 Chief Executive Officer Study. Recently updated insight into the agendas of 1700 global leaders. [2012 report, 2010 report] [Updated Jan 2014]
IBM 2011 Chief Marketing Officer Study. From face-to-face interviews with 1,734 CMOs, spanning 19 industries and 64 countries. [Added Feb 2012, new report should be out Feb 2014]
IBM 2011 Chief Financial Officer Study. From face-to-face interviews with over 1900 CFOs. [Added Jan 2014]
IBM 2010 Global CHRO Study. Insights on what Chief Human Resource Officer leaders say are their most important workforce imperatives, how those align to what the business environment. [new report should be out Feb 2014]
IBM 2011 Chief Information Officer Study. From face-to-face interviews with over 1900 CFOs. [Added Jan 2014]
IBM’s Institute for Business Value has even more reports. [Added Jan 2014]
Kenexa’s High Performance Institute has many different collaboration-oriented reports. [Added Jan 2014]
State of Social Technology and Talent Management from Silkroad focuses specifically on Social HR issues. There’s also a corresponding Infographic. [Added Jan 2014]
Online Database of Social Media Policies. The largest online database of social media policies from companies, governments, non-profits.
Strategic Organization research from McKinsey & Co.
Monthly Labor Review Online from The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment Projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Outlook Quarterly from The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
O*Net Online includes a variety of occupation-related statistics and resources
Constant Contact Fall 2011 Attitudes and Outline Survey [.pdf] of almost 2,000 small businesses finds they are becoming more comfortable with social media marketing and are using it more when engaging with customers.
Media Bistro’s AllTwitter site offers non-stop information on how Twitter shaping the social media landscape. [Added May 2012]
Web Strategy open research from Jeremiah Owyang
Specific articles and posts
“10 Surprising Social Media Statistics That Will Make You Rethink Your Social Strategy.” November 2013, Fast Company. Great for larger social perspective. For example, 189M Facebook users are mobile only. YouTube reaches more 18-34 year olds than any cable TV network. Every second, 2 people join LinkedIn. Social media has overcome porn as the top activity on the web.
“99 New Social Media Stats for 2012.” Compiled by Cara Pring of Social Skinny. May 2012 (Added May 2012)
“Social Media: What Most Companies Don’t Know.” Harvard Business Review.
“The New Conversation: Taking Social Media from Talk to Action.” [.pdf] Harvard Business Review Analytics Services, sponsored by SAS.
“What Americans Do Online: Social Media and Games Dominate.” NielsenWire. August 6, 2010.
“Rethinking knowledge work: A strategic approach.” McKinsey Quarterly. Knowledge workers’ information needs vary. The key to better productivity is applying technology more precisely.
“The New Media Skills.” Fast Company. It’s time to review the new set of skills people of all ages require to succeed. Here’s a list.
“2Do.Over.” Fast Company. What if 2.0 were an authentic chance to revisit and do over what came in 1.0?
“kids are heavy social network users, they don’t say no to relevant marketing efforts: online surveys and tips for marketers.” TrendSpotting.
Teenagers feel social media websites are expanding their awareness for ways in which other people could use some help. “More than half of teens (55 percent) say social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have made them more aware of the needs of others.” Harris Interactive. (newly added)
“2010 marks the year women’s voices will carry greater influence in social media.” Examiner.
“Kids’ Social Networking Study” from Grunwald Associates was a national study (sample of 1,277 aged 9-17)
“The Future of Social Media” from Grunwald Associates is a brief article addressing our social media research findings and a glimpse of the future.
“Generational Competence: A New Approach to Human Capital Management,” Ceridian, July, 2005
“Preparing Your Business for the “New Retirement,” Merrill Lynch, 2006.
Changing Demographics in the workforce:
- According the U.S. Census Bureau, single Americans now outnumber married couples with children.
- Married couples currently make up only half of the population, married couples with children account for less than a quarter of U.S. households (US Census).
- Foreign-born workers are more likely to be younger, male, without a high school diploma, and employed in service occupation than is the U.S.-born labor force (US Dept of Labor).
Mitra Toossi, “Labor force projections to 2018: older workers staying more active ” (PDF) [All Labor Force Predictions]
Sources of General Stats
World Population Summary data brought to you by the US Census Bureau. (World Population by age and gender).
World Population Figures data available on Wikipedia.
International Statistical Agencies listed by country
US Population Data data
“Foreign-born Workers: Labor Force Characteristics in 2005,” April 14, 2006.; U.S. Department of Labor, News Bureau of Labor Statistics. (newly added)
U.S. Census Bureau, “Families and Living Arrangements in 2003,” pg. 2, Figure 1. (newly added)
Facebook by the numbers. (Of all the links on this page, my hunch is that this one will break first. You should be able to find it again under the “About” link at the bottom of any Facebook page, then under Company Info. It’s been in that general vicinity for a few years, just how to get there and the link has changed.) At the end of March 2012 there were 901M active monthly users, 526M active daily users on average.
General fun
@HR_Said_What twitter account
Originally published May 11, 2011.
[Photo credit: Social Media Tubes, Rosaura Ochoa]