Social media is growing rapidly and with it comes endless opportunities and many advantages for business. However, with hand held devices increasing and social media sites embedded in people’s lives comes a blurring of the lines between professional and private space. Bearing this is mind employers cannot ignore social media as it is here to stay and it has wide reaching implications for those employers who choose to bury their head in the sand.
Some of the risks that can occur include:
- leaking of confidential information
- employees airing their dirty linen in public
- adverse impact on brand reputation
- negative comments posted online which triggers bullying allegations
So the key question is “how do employers manage their social media risk?”
A Social Media Policy is a good start however this as a stand-alone is not sufficient. It needs to be part of coordinated HR management strategy that includes the following:
- A strong Employment Contract – which highlights the types of behaviours which may lead to dismissal
- A Social Media Policy – which is linked to the Employment Contract and includes acceptable/not acceptable behaviour and inappropriate usage in and out of the workplace
- Guidelines on Usage of Social Media during Work Hours – should there be a blanket ban on personal use in the workplace?
- Employee Training – regular training can be an effective tool to make sure that employees understand what is expected from the policies.
- Discipline & Termination Procedure – a policy without discipline consequences is unlikely to be effective. It can be used as a deterrent to discourage employees from using social media negatively.
What do others believe is effective?
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