Yes it’s true: 40% of companies are selling to new customers thanks to the power of social networking. Thought social media was a waste of time? Think again …

In July 2010 we released our first global survey of business social networking. Over 15,000 business people responded. The report was covered by the Financial Times, The Times of India, blogger Brian Solis and eMarketer among many others.

Read it in full here:

Social Success?

Is your company winning thanks to its engagement with potential customers via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube? What’s the best channel? We want to hear your story.

• Compared to a year ago 8% net fewer companies globally intend to hire returning mothers.
   
• The highest falls in intentions to hire working mums are found in South Africa (20% net), in the USA (18% net), in Spain and Germany (15% net).
   
• Only in the Netherlands have companies increased their expectation to hire more working mothers, up 4%.
   
• 31% of businesses have concerns about hiring returning mothers. These range from: the worry they may shortly take time off to have another baby; to lack of commitment; to out of date skills.
   
• However, more than double that number — fully 72% of firms — appreciate working mums as a valuable part of the employment pool.
   
• Net appreciation of returning mothers is highest in Japan (54%), Mexico (48%), Australia and Canada (38%) and lowest in India (11%) and South Africa (17%).
   
• Main concerns with hiring working mums are: lack of commitment (37%), risk of another maternity after a short time (33%), and out of date skills (24%).
   
• There is wide consensus (87%) that flexible working practices are family friendly suggesting that these measures are ideal to retain and attract this part of the employment pool.
   
• 70% of businesses also believe that flexible working practices are less expensive than fixed working.

Read the report in full on Scribd.com.

What’s your view? Are you a working mum, finding the job market to be tough and inflexible? Or perhaps a boss of a small business putting in extra hours to cover for a team member on maternity leave?