Dive Brief:
- It's taken almost two years, but Facebook is now moving it's Facebook at Work "pilot" project and turning it into Workplace, its enterprise-bound messaging and social networking service, TechCrunch reports.
- Apart from changing to a new brand name, Facebook's corporate solution also offers a different pricing model based on Facebook's standard monthly active user metrics, TechCrunch reports, noting that Facebook's pilot had 1,000 employers using a free version.
- Workplace is launching as a desktop and mobile app with News Feed, Groups, Chat direct messaging, Live video, Reactions, translation features, and video and audio calling, according to TechCrunch. Apart from typical white collar workforces, TechCrunch says Facebook wants to include employees who are already using Facebook in their non-working life, but who are not typically included in an employer’s current digital collaboration initiatives.
Dive Insight:
It was inevitable that Facebook would get into the space of "enterprise communication," though it's arriving late based on the advances of competitors such as Slack, Microsoft's Yammer, Chatter from Salesforce, Hipchat, Jive and others.
HR leaders looking at these new enterprise-wide applications may likely feel overwhelmed by the process of choosing one (that is, if enterprise social media is in the plans at all). With Facebook's undeniable brand appeal, and the fact that so many employees are undoubtedly among the 1.71 billion active monthly Facebook users, this option may provide ease of access, since no one would have to be trained on it.
