Friends, employees, lend me your earbuds

Interesting news that National Semiconductor Corp. is giving all 8,500 of its employees 30-gigabyte video iPods (wowzer, not skimpping on the cheap stuff).

The gadgets will be used "as a new training and communications tool at National, providing a convenient real-time method for employees to download National podcasts and other employee communications."

The announcement was made by the CEO at the annual company picnic where employees were celebrating the company's recent record profits.

Why this makes sense:

• National Semiconducter makes components for iPods, so there is a nice linkage to the business
• It gives employees accountability and motivation to use the iPods
• It is part of a committment to better employee communication and a reward for employees

Why this might not make sense:

• Podcasting is not an effective two-way form of communication and will not make sense for certain job functions and communication methods
• Most people don't download what people call "podcasts," they listen to them on their computers
• Even with a bulk and vendor discount, this can't be cheap

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Technorati Tags: podcasting, ipods, employees, National, Semiconductor