Web 2.0: The debate goes on...

Yet another article appeared the other day on Management-Issues about the use and value of Web 2.0 communication technologies in the workplace.

A taster...

As latest research suggests managers are increasingly using Web 2.0 technology such as podcasts, Wikis and social networks to communicate internally with their workers, it has to be asked – are these tools, for now considered cutting edge, really going to change the world or will they just end up, much like email, as yet another way of avoiding face-to-face contact?

No definitive answer is given, but the article (based on a research report that doesn't appear to be online) certainly gives the impression that Web 2.0 is set to be a force in workplace, but perhaps far from being used in manner that suits senior managers.

See Hiding behind a wall of chat (Nic Paton) for more details.

Do you work in a haunted workplace?

All the kids have fun at Halloween, so why can't grown ups?

An article in the current edition or People Management magazine leads with a rather tongue-in-cheek look at 'haunted hospitals' and 'eerie hospitals'.

In Performance ghouls (by Tim Smedley) readers of People Management tell their spooky tales.

After each article the story is analysed by a 'believer' in the paranormal and a 'sceptic' who clearly doesn't.

Here's one story to be going on with:

The job shadow

Our HR team recently had a conversation about the supernatural as “paranormal activity” has affected our department, which moved into a larger, newly refurbished suite of offices last year.

A few months ago, one of the team was in the kitchen making coffee when a dark shadow appeared, as if someone were behind her. She thought it was one of the other team members having a laugh, but when she turned around, fully expecting to see someone, no one was there.

On telling the others in the office, most of the team looked at one another knowingly and said that they had felt uncomfortable in the offices and had heard knocking when no one else was there, but hadn’t wanted to say anything in case the rest of the team thought they were being silly.

The cleaner comes in every day at 5pm and one of the team members mentioned the stories to her. She laughed and said, of course the place was haunted – the ghost was in the kitchen and adjoining office and she didn’t know why we hadn’t noticed it before!

I finish at 5.30pm but often don’t leave until later, usually when there is no one else around in our offices – that was okay in the summer when it was light, but now the shorter evenings are here I want to be out of the door in a flash. At least it’s a great excuse for not being able to work longer hours!

Geri Pediani, head of human resources, Royal British Legion Industries