Once upon a time, when life was simpler, LinkedIn was the social network where you looked for jobs, while Facebook was the one where you wasted time while you were at your job. And it was a good idea not to let your boss know you were hanging out on either one.
Times have changed, as evidenced by new workplace communication tools recently announced by both social networks: Facebook At Work and InMail private communication for coworkers, the first of several tools expected from LinkedIn. Neither come as a surprise, as rumors about both services have been circulating for a while.
The two new products aren’t in direct competition with each other, as they do fairly different things. But both Facebook and LinkedIn are firmly staking a claim in workplace collaboration, where companies such as Slack and Yammer reside.
Facebook Goes To Work
Facebook At Work hit iOS and Android app stores on Wednesday, though it’s only available in preview to a limited number of companies. Like the updated Facebook Messenger, the app stands alone and distinct from the main Facebook app. But you’ll be able to access a desktop version through the Facebook website, TechCrunch reports.
When stacked against its standalone competitors, Facebook For Work offers almost no learning curve for many employees. It operates much like the social site that 185 million U.S. users are already familiar with, some for nearly 10 years.
There is currently, one big difference between the work site and regular Facebook. While Facebook At Work is in limited preview, neither apps or advertisements will operate on the network. Facebook also hasn’t announced pricing, although Facebook engineering director Lars Rasmussen told TechCrunch that advertising hasn’t been ruled out. It’s likely Facebook At Work could feature several pricing options for businesses, including one that’s ad-free.
LinkedIn Mails It In
In its continuing effort to expand usability beyond the job hunt, LinkedIn is set to launch private InMail for co-workers, Recode reported on Tuesday. It will function similarly to the InMail currently available to premium LinkedIn members, but will allow users to communicate with co-workers to whom they aren’t connected via the social network.
It’s just one tool among others planned to encourage worker bees to use LinkedIn as part of their current job, instead of just signing in to look for the next one. In December, LinkedIn launched a content-friendly design update that separated information connected to the job hunt, such as how many people looked at your profile, from updates in your network and news stories you may find relevant.
Future updates will allow companies to communicate to all staffers or just specific departments, Recode reported. Like Facebook, LinkedIn is working on a separate app designed to facilitate networking within companies.
Next up: Convincing corporate managers to embrace tools associated with some of the biggest employee time-wasters around,
Photo by JulyYu