Maureen S
5000+connects TopLinked.com Telephone Name Sourcer/MagicMethod Trainer-Names Generator
What percentage of the workforce do you think is twittering?
What is twitter bringing to the workplace?
Answers (19)
I believe the answer is 5% or less of the workforce is twittering. Just my opinion and belief. No resource to back up my opinion though.
Neil S
Territory Manager at Caterpillar Inc
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Estimates are between 100,000 and one million users (the lower figure is an estimate of monthly users, the higher figure an estimate of total members). There are stories of a high turnover of users, and of a small quantity of users generating most of the content.
Even if we take the higher number of a million users globally, that's an extremely small percentage of the workforce. Usage seems limited to certain industry sectors and geographies - and the biggest use seems to be celebrity blogging, which I'm not sure we really need more of.
I don't know anyone outside the US who seriously uses it for business.
Diva M
Talent Acquisition Specialist / Career Coach / Published Author
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Twitter is a 2 year old company and its popularity is consistently growing. There is a lot of buzz about this social networking tool right now and if you watch any news program on television, it becomes obvious that a lot of the prominent news reporters (including Anderson Cooper on CNN) have tapped into this online tool.
It is difficult at this point to know what percentage of the workforce is actually "tweeting" on Twitter, and I'm not sure that the site has even conducted a study to gauge this type of information.
However, I believe that the best answer to this question lies in an analysis that is based on age of participant, career function specialty, etc... For example, while I think that a relatively small percentage of people in the workforce are currently tweeting, I believe that the number will increase over time. Right now, it is more of a "social network" for friends to communicate with each other via texting on their cell phones or computers, with brief updates on their current happenings. With time, this may change and it may be another tool in a job seeker's arsenal... and a way for those that are working to stay in touch with business colleagues, and others in their industry. So it will grow...
As for my comment regarding age... based on a review of the people that I am following on Twitter, and those that are following me, I would say that there is most likely a higher percentage of people tweeting that are in a younger demographic... those under 50 years of age for sure. The most "active" tweeters seem to be in their 20's and 30's.
Also, those that embrace social media (MySpace, Facebook, etc...) seem to have most readily embraced Twitter as well. And those that are "connectors" and strong communicators in general, seem to be most active.
Facebook still seems to be the most popular social networking venue, hands-down. And Linked IN is by far, the best "professional" online networking tool for those in the workforce.
With time, as Twitter becomes more popular, and as the site adds more functionality, it may grow and extend more readily within all age groups that are tied to a cell phone and computer and are technologically literate.
That is the long answer.
The short answer is that at this point, my guess would be that the percentage is probably less than 10%... and possibly less than 5%.
Tyler B
Reporting analyst
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I would be very surprised if the number were over 5% of employees who regularly use computers as part of their jobs. This number would shrink considerably when you take into account employees who generally don't use computers in the course of their jobs.
The ones that AREN'T working are twittering. Who has time, if you don't have a staff to do this for you? I think it is nothing more than a fad and a time waster. However, I have seen a very few that have used it to promote themselves or their causes.
Ken M
Passionate About Helping Organizations Succeed With Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
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What fascinates me about Twitter is what type of people are beginning to best use it. Businesses are learning how to use it as a communications tool or a Marketing device. And the innovative ones will find that it is a very powerful network that can reach a targeted market. Twitter was at first a fun way to socialize but it is just now becoming a part a progressive tool to promote a business or product. I look forward to watching which businesses capitalize on it to its fullest. I think the time is not far away where a business will hire people just to tweet for them.
Alexandre A
Reference librarian at Bibliothèque nationale de France
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I have no idea about a number of it. It's a good media to say in a few words something spontaneously. That's my use of Twitter.
I think that the corporation of Twitter doesn't make money yet, but it's a social network more and more famous.
I would say, concerning the proportion of workers : less than 10% in june 2009... Tell me as soon as possible if I'm wrong.
Elizabeth N
Recruiting Consultant and Owner, SRS-Strategic Recruiting Solutions
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A small but growing percentage of the workforce is twittering. In most serious job situations, it is true there is NO time. Twittering along with other social sites can be bringing a distraction to the workplace if those that are in the computer-using departments aren't committed employees. However if the usual distractions that the entertainment media furnishes are used for research in the entertainment industry, i.e., choosing the right music for a movie soundtrack that goes with the current urban interests, etc. then it can be appropriate for the workplace. The www is used in general to connect and twittering is just another avenue. If employees are fearful for their job loss, they will use all avenues they can creatively think of manipulating...positively. Sales driven companies and departments can use twittering actions to their advantage...in these types of sites there are always avenues to help jumpstart business! :)
Too many! Personally I think that Twitter, Facebook et al are simply a distraction and have no business in the workplace.
I just heard a report on NPR that said that 62% of gen Y uses social networking, including twitter (source: Lexis Nexis). That percentage decreases with age; social networking is used by a small percentage of baby boomers. Gen Y thinks that social networking is the norm; baby boomers think it's a distraction to getting real work done, and a possible source of risk to the reputation of the company.
I'm a baby boomer. I think twitter has brought increased noise and lack of focus to the workplace, without a lot of compensating positive value. I'll don my flameproof suit now.
Links:
Richard F
Partner at Principal Search
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How long is a piece of string?
Aletta M
OD / Talent Management Specialist
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Nothing - nobody in my company are using it in a work capacity - we block all social or other inappropriate websites
Twitter is very unique social networking site. It was designed to be a micro-blogging service and allowing their users to update their status anytime they want. Though I like keeping everyone up to date on my status, I believe it is not very beneficial to the workforce or job search. Yes 11% of Adult Americans use Twitter, but I think it is gear towards more for socializing instead of career searching. I believe of the 11% of Adult Americans that are on Twitter, 9% of them are young adults who are between the ages 18-24 years who are only using it to keep in contact with their friends. I believe most of the 11% of Adult Americans using Twitter are in the workforce, but not using it to find a job.
As of right now, I do not think Twitter is bringing anything to the workplace but gossip and rumors. I do not think as of right now it can be leveraged in the staffing and recruiting world.
Links:
15%
Clarification added 5 months ago:
No real scientific reasoning for my estimate, but I don't see the real business use for this.
12%
If your company is Zappos, one would guess 99%, but if your company is Macy's, one would guess much much lower. The % would depend on the company, industry, and age of the workers as shown in the links below.
In terms of what it brings? It increases openness at a company and creates another channel for customer service interactions.
Links:
I'm going to guess around 25%. Twitter is rapidly growing and it's becoming a useful tool in the world of social media. Companies are even beginning to use Twitter as a way to recruit for people because the turnaround is so fast. It is quickly changing the way we view job boards.
This is an interesting blog entry that corresponds to the topic of this thread: http://newlearningplaybook.com/blog/2009/06/03/twitter-more-important-than-linkedin-according-to-survey/
Links:
I would say that would completely depend on the type of market/industry. For more computer oriented businesses, being logged on to a computer all times is neccessary. So, that being said, people are more apt to use and update their "status" for twitter.
Then there are those who use their blackberries to Twitter but thats a whole other answer.
Kristen F
Author; Sourcing U WA Medical Centers; Independent resume and HR consultant, via Conquent.
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I think the question needs to be broken out.
1) Of the *active* twitter population, what percentage is using Twitter for a business purpose?
2) How many active Twitter users have been active for more than 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, etc?
3) Are the active Twitter accounts individuals or *entities*? If individuals, what functional role do they play within their business?
4) What is the motivation for the active business twitterer? (Marketing, recruiting, sales, information sharing, building community etc.)
