Facebook has just launched its exclusive version for businesses. The Workplace is a new version of the former Facebook at Work, which has been tested for about a year and has already attracted over a thousand corporate clients, including companies like Danone and Starbucks, as well as non-profit organizations.
Although similar in many aspects, the service is completely independent of Facebook and has some significant differences, such as being free only for NGOs and educational institutions. For other companies, Workplace offers three months of free trial, and after this period, it charges a fee based on the number of active employees on the network:
Up to 1,000 employees: $3 (R$ 9.62 at current exchange rate)
Up to 10,000 employees: $2 (R$ 6.42)
More than 10,000 employees: $1 (R$ 3.21)
The proposal is to bring the same integration of Facebook to the workplace, creating a more interactive alternative to email that facilitates internal communication and increases productivity.
According to the project director, Julien Codorniou, the platform “aims to change the way companies work, to give a voice to everyone, to offer employees, including those who previously did not have a corporate email, the same communication tools they use in their private lives” and “connect all employees of a company through their mobile devices,” as it can be used on iOS, Android, or through a browser.
Features
Workplace has features such as dashboards and metrics for internal analysis, can be integrated into companies' IT systems, and profiles on the network have no connection to employees' personal profiles on Facebook. Instead of the traditional blue, the new platform is based on gray, does not display advertisements, nor has entertainment features like games, and also guarantees not to collect user data.
Some features from Facebook are also maintained, such as news feed, groups, chat, wall, Live, translation, and the famous reactions and likes.
In the coming weeks, Workplace promises to incorporate a new feature called Multi-Company Group, which will allow the creation of groups to be shared by more than one company. This way, communication between partner corporations working on joint projects will be easier.
To boost implementation among its clients, the social network indicated the launch of a collaborative program with partners such as Deloitte Digital, Edelman, Weber Shandwick, or Ketchum.
Mark Zuckerberg's new platform will compete with Microsoft programs like Slack and Yammer.