Effective communication is one of the most important aspects when it comes to managing the work force. With the scope of benefits changes, greater emphasis on shared costs and other employment issues, there are plenty of messages that must be delivered, and more employers are turning to social media to communicate with employees.

In fact, according to a recent Towers Watson study on social media use by employers, 64 percent of organizations know more about using social media platforms than they did just one year ago, and 69 percent of respondents anticipate increasing their use over the next 12 months.

Part of the wider use of social media stems from employees' desire for better communication systems, says Kathryn Yates, global leader of communication consulting at Towers Watson. Ten to 15 years ago, many employees were still using slow communication systems, such as dialup Internet, on a personal level while employers typically had more advanced platforms. However, with social media, employees now have some of the most robust communication systems available from their homes and expect their employers to offer equally effective programs.