Within the HR department and amongst managers Social Media can too often seen as a problem to be controlled and even something to be feared. Of course there are reasons for such concern, such as employees wasting time online at work, employees being free to talk negatively about an organisation, or even legal issues arising when an employee leaves and takes their social media contacts with them. However, such fear can negate the many possibilities Social Media offers. In what follows, I will outline some ways that HR departments should be beginning to make use of Social Media.

Social Media is an established tool for use with recruitment, with even a 2009 survey finding that 95% of companies were using LinkedIn for recruitment and 75% were at least referring to LinkedIn for background checks. If you're not using Social Media in this way yet, read on for a summary of what you could be doing.

By using LinkedIn, employers can network with individuals and view their profiles, complete with CV information such as previous employment and even recommendations. LinkedIn groups usually include a job board, allowing you to reach out to a large but highly targeted group of people. LinkedIn is also an excellent way to pick out and approach desirable passive candidates who aren't actively job hunting.

Alternatively Twitter can be a great way to share information for free, with 'hashtags' allowing you to ensure your job vacancy is seen by the right people. Use Twitter Search  to see which hashtags are in popular use, for example a tweet for a project management role in Brighton may state "Exciting opportunity for experienced project manager in #Brighton: http:///website.com/vacancy #pmot". Many large businesses have entire Twitter accounts dedicated to vacancies, such as HSBC (@HSBC_UK_Careers) or even Pepsi (@PepsiCo_UKjobs). Using an established social network is not only cost effective, but also great for brand awareness.

Recruitment is the most obvious usage of Social Media, but it leads us to a lesser known and arguably more important way for HR professionals to use Social Media. If you're already vetting potential new recruits on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, you've probably also realised the importance of monitoring your own online presence. Networking is no longer for the external consultants or self-employed; being active as a connected and modern HR professional is an excellent way to advance your own career.

LinkedIn is a great place to network and share knowledge, for example 'Linked: HR' has over 300 000 members. You can also ask questions and choose specific categories such as 'Compensation and Benefits', 'Personnel Policies' and 'Staffing and Recruitment' to ensure you reach the right audience. On Twitter, follow the '#ConnectingHR' hashtag to find other HR professionals and hear about the real-life meet-ups (or 'Tweetups') in London. Presence on both these networks allows you to find and keep contacts, and also to be found by others.

I recently read an article describing in-company online social communities like "Ghost Towns". If this is something applicable to your organisation then consider embracing the established platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, where employees are already active.

Some organisations such as the University of Sussex (@SussexUniStaff) run Twitter profiles dedicated to their staff. Using such mediums will empowerstaff: you could share news, arrange real-life meet-ups, request opinions, or run a Twitter discussion by choosing a Twitter hashtag to group all contributions. You can also welcome new recruits, either publicly on Twitter and your LinkedIn business page, or privately in a LinkedIn employee group. LinkedIn groups are excellent for staff training too, allowing information or best practices to be shared and contributed to by all. You could create a LinkedIn group for career development, browse employees' CVs and even leave a positive recommendation on their profile if they do leave.

Social Media can link learners, help HR discover training needs by monitoring what staff are saying, and ultimately help to support and sustain learning. In large organisations I suggest creating multiple accounts for your director, marketing department, HR department etc. so that all activity is organised and transparent.

Wikis are also a great way to allow staff from different departments to collaborate, with this article covering them in more detail.

As well as being mobile, readymade and free, these social networks also offer business promotion. You can make a LinkedIn group for staff private but its name and size will be visible through search, portraying a modern and engaging company to other LinkedIn users. This is excellent for Social Media recruitment efforts, allowing you to both attract and hang on to top talent.

A recent survey found that in 56% of companies, social media is 'owned' by digital marketing or PR departments. Even customer services or the recently graduated intern will often get their hands on Social Media long before anyone in HR. Social Media is part of the furniture in such departments, but it's time for HR to take ownership, to define and direct its usage and to prevent problems before they arise.

A good organisation won't try to suppress Social Media but will be seen to handling any negativity. Creating a Social Media Policy can be seen as something progressive and collaborative. An excellent example is IBM's Social Computing Guidelines which encouraged employee feedback and were also made visible to all online, promoting their company.

What should your Social Media Policy address?

In conclusion, Social Media presents an invaluable force for development that can no longer be ignored. A Social Media Policy will help to address potential problems, in a modern and transparent rather than fearful and controlling manner.

The new communication offered by Social Media is creating a new power structure, sometimes dubbed 'Wirearchy':

Importantly from an HR perspective, by changing knowledge transfer, Social Media is changing the role of management and of learning. For HR departments adapting to this change will be crucial to the success of businesses in the future.

To learn more about what Social Media can offer, take a look at our list of the top social networks for learning and development information