Make It With Michael

By Jeff Bullas In 1972 the first app went live. It wasn’t designed for mobile and it was meant only for geeks and programmers. That invention was designed and built by Ray Tomlinson. Today that messaging app is used by 4.3 billion people and 269 billion messages are sent every 24 hours. You may have already guessed what that app is. Email was the first addictive digital technology that had us checking in to our computers and then decades later our mobile phones. One of the key reasons for why it is so addictive is “operant conditioning”. It is based upon the scientific principle of variable rewards, discovered by B. F. Skinner (an early exponent of the school of behaviourism) in the 1930’s when performing experiments with rats. The secret? Not rewarding all actions but only randomly. Most of our emails are boring business emails and occasionally we find an enticing email that keeps us coming back for more. That’s variable reward. That’s one way Facebook creates addiction. ...

By Dara Fontein Having certain boundaries in place is a good idea for any organization, especially when it comes to social media. A social media policy can help empower your employees with information and keep your brand safe. This living document, created by a company and for employees, includes best practices, guidelines, and procedures on training and enforcement. Why does my business need a social media policy? Protect your company’s reputation A social media policy lowers your risk of legal issues and helps protect your brand by outlining potential risks and the steps to take in the event of a misstep or account hack. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protecting your brand. Set standards for employee use A social media policy gives you the opportunity to establish clear guidelines and expectations for employees. With a policy in place, employees can feel empowered to exercise creativity and show their personalities without having to worry that what th...