Last week in my guest post over at Social Media Explorer I expressed my frustration with Employment Law Attorneys when it comes to social media, but it doesn’t stop there.  Social media has been around since the Internet itself through forums, chat rooms, instant messenger, and even dating websites.  It’s something that companies could control, block, and monitor until now.

The Internet and social media equalizer, the catalyst is something you might not expect but use most every day.  It’s your cell phone.

The Internet Equalizer — The Smart Phone

Your smart phone if you want me to be more specific.  Your Internet ready, social media compatible, programmable and portable smart phone computer is the cause for the social media and technology revolution that is upon us.  Until the Blackberry, Internet surfers were tied to their computers either at home or at work.  We were forced to check our email the old fashioned way, and then the crackberry changed all that.  The iPhone and other mobile devices made accessing the Internet and social media through apps so much easier.  The iPhone is what the electric dryer did for the laundry.  Before then, things worked well.  We had a system, and we literally hung our laundry out to dry.  The iPhone is more efficient and more expensive. Did I mention that nearly 88 million Americans use clothes dryers in their homes while 1 in 2 will have a smart phone by Christmas 2011.

Some interesting facts about your smart phone:

• Almost 50% of small business owners use Smartphones to help facilitate the running of a business.

• A prediction of $11.6 billion will be spent on mobile application development by 2012.

• By the year 2014, an estimated number of Smartphone users in the US alone will reach 194 million.

With mobile technologies and tools like smart phones, tablets, and other mobile devices becoming a growing part of the majority’s daily lives.  Companies are struggling with controlling as well as monitoring employee usage during work hours while these same companies are leveraging mobile recruitment strategies and customer mobile clubs as part of their overall business, marketing, and recruitment strategies.

Considering creating a policy that outlaws smart phones and mobile devices, at your office, read this first.  Mobile technologies like smart phones are here to stay.  In fact the idea and practice of using mobile to recruit, communicate and engage either the candidate or workforce is a hot practice.

Companies who understand, communicate and establish boundaries with their employees provide a culture which fosters empowerment, development, and trust.  Those that don’t encourage deception, frustration, and mis-trust.  I don’t know about you but recruiting and retaining candidates is much easier in an environment like the former and not the latter.