Facebook at Work launches next month to rival workflow platforms like Yammer just as Slack partners with Salesforce to integrate the competing workflow platforms.
The modern office is quickly becoming a hybrid of virtual and physical presence, and this has given rise to numerous competing workflow platforms for communication among team members.
Already, there is an unspoken rule that “Facebooking” at work is looked down upon as users can get lost in the myriad of kitten memes, Candy Crush invites, and out-of-work messaging with friends that can distract from daily work activities.
However, Facebook will change all of that next month as they officially roll out the Facebook at Work platform. Now, instead of frantically scrambling to click away from the Facebook tab on your browser as your boss casually strolls by your workstation, being on Facebook at work may become the new “accepted” norm.
The new platform for work is separate than a personal Facebook account as they use different websites and apps available on both iOS and Android. Personal Facebook accounts do not overlap with Facebook at Work, and the two accounts never receive updates from the other.
Slack Partners with Salesforce just as Facebook at Work Rolls-out
In a recent turn of events, Slack announced yesterday that it has partnered with Salesforce to integrate the two services at precisely the exact same time Facebook at Work rolls-out its own social technology.
“We’re officially partnering with Salesforce to deliver several new integrations over the next month (with many more to follow),” says Slack’s official blog.
There hasn’t been any official word that there is a direct correlation between the Slack/Salesforce integration and the launch of Facebook’s new platform.
Slack users will now be able to search Salesforce directly through Slack using the /salesforce slash command, as well as keep Chatter and Slack in sync, and connect Slack channels with Salesforce records.
Facebook at Work Features
Currently, there are over 450 companies worldwide testing out Facebook at Work prior to next month’s official launch.
Facebook at Work offers services much like that of its competitors, including “groups” for different departments, the classic Facebook News Feed, work chat, and events.
According to BizJournals; however, “Slack and Yammer won’t back out of the race” just yet. “Slack is backed by almost $540 million in funding, while Yammer raised close to $142 million before Microsoft acquired it in 2012.”
