New book published by NBS HR expert focuses on the impact of social media on work

Claire Taylor has developed a unique textbook Social Media, Work and Organisations: Narratives of Identity, Power and Control (Publisher: Routledge Studies in Management, Organization and Society) specifically for students, managers and HR practitioners. This innovative text aims to bring to light the new realities of social media have created a more interconnected society, however their use has closed the boundaries between formal and informal, public and private, local and global organisations - which have been displaced or have vanished.

Claires work explores our increasing use and reliance on social media, a phenomenon which has grown and morphed exponentially. From a business perspective, these devices are used to promote corporations, brands, goods, services, and experts. Significantly, from a sociological perspective these are not simply benign business tools. We use them to stage ourselves and our innermost thoughts to vast audiences. This has had a major impact on how we behave online including how speak more openly, which has had a huge impact on both our freedom of expression and privacy. Claire explores how these differing uses have blurred traditional boundaries previously existed between our work and social lives causing a spike in differing forms of organisational (mis)behaviour, which is rarely discussed and often not fully understood.

The book therefore provides a fascinating insight into personal use of these devices and the impact these devices have on our employment relationships.

Claire counterbalances this Orwellian view of social media by discussing how social media gives employees greater opportunity to level the playing field using platforms to voice workplace concerns and to capture management misbehaviours which are very rarely discussed in literature. The book uses this premise to call for more ethical HR and management practices in this field of work.

Staff are entitled to save 20% on the book using the code: SMA24 (Valid between 1 October 2024 - 31 January 2025)