The first step to optimizing social business efforts is to understand why you should

As more companies embrace social business software and related tools, some struggle to optimize their ROI and understand the true benefits of these efforts. Enhancing the workplace through social efforts and the communication and collaboration benefits that come along with them. Social media isn't just for personal lives anymore, and enterprises that adopt the same tools for internal workflow can see significant improvements to productivity and organization.

As with any other business process management solution, social BPM software offers groundbreaking opportunities to streamline basic workflow and automate many aspects of operations. However, the added value of the social media aspect of these tools allows companies to focus on the way their employees work and interact with each other. A study from early in 2013 found that the average American spends 16 minutes of every hour on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, according to Computerworld. While this number has actually reduced some since 2011, when individuals spent nearly 30 percent of their time on social media websites, 27 percent of the day is still a significant portion.

"Social networking is essentially flat year-to-year, which I think could be a signal that the social networking wave has crested and that the high growth days are gone, at least in the U.S.," said Dan Olds with The Gabriel Consulting Group, according to the news source. "However, social networking is by far the biggest single task occupying people's online time, which shows that social nets have become an integral part of people's lives."

By implementing high-quality worksocial solutions, enterprises can boost their own productivity by enticing employees to spend at least a small portion of those 16 minutes on work-related social networks, rather than personal ones.

Social business process management software from Appian will deliver the high-quality, immersive experience that businesses need to engage their employees and promote stronger work habits. Additionally, with an easy-to-use, intuitive UI, professionals will be able to control and track their own progress, key events and other information within these platforms that promote a more collaborative work environment.

Improving overall workflow has to begin from a single point, and by investing in the software necessary to enhance everyday processes, companies can ensure that point sets a solid foundation for future endeavors and opportunities to grow and evolve for the better.