Social media policies are on the minds of many business owners these days, and rightfully so. Chances are that if you’re reading this, you probably have a Facebook account, a personal blog, or some other form of social networking profile that allows you to make connections with professional or personal contacts. Over 75 percent of U.S. households use social media websites for their personal entertainment, but the activities people choose to participate in on these websites can positively or negatively affect their relationships with employers.
Employers are concerned with protecting company information when so many of their employees participate in social networking. Implementing a social media policy for your company can help with protecting your company while also eliminating employee confusion about how to engage in social media. Businesses that choose to implement these policies can govern what their employees do with social media both professionally and personally. Good social media policies help employees realize how to draw the line about what information is appropriate to post and what information is not.
Should you ban social media sites in the workplace?
Many employers, at first thought, want to ban the use of social media sites while at work. However, before banning the use of these sites, employers might want to consider a few factors. Many young workers have grown up with Internet access at their fingertips. They might expect access to their Facebook or other social networking pages while on break. If employers choose to ban these sites, workers will find ways around this or might jump ship and find a company with more lenient policies. Aside from that social media websites can be effective strategy and marketing tools for businesses. They can enhance your company’s reputation and help to gain more business. Creating Facebook, LinkedIn, or other professional profiles for your company will broaden your audience and help you find more business connections. Many companies now choose to allow the use of social media at work for this sole purpose.
The Social Media Use Policy
Even if your company chooses to ban employees from using social networking sites at work, you should implement a social media policy that governs how employees discuss work-related information on their personal networking sites.
A sound social media policy should address to following:
- A company philosophy about how social media is to be used. Companies need to define whether employee usage should be strictly personal or if usage can incorporate networking for business purposes.
- Prohibition of distributing confidential or proprietary business information, company defamation or fraud, harassment of and discrimination against co-workers, trademark infringement, unlawful solicitation, or any other illegal activity.
- A definition of social media.
- Whether employees have the right to refer to or recommend their company’s clients or customers.
- If employees are allowed to identify themselves as part of the company. If social networking is taking place for personal reasons, are they allowed to disclose their employer?
- Personal use of social networking sites should not interfere with the employee’s job responsibilities.
- Require compliance with and be consistent with enforcing the policy.
- Consequences for violations.
As long as employers are upfront with their employees about the guidelines of social media use, no problems should arise. Be open with employees about how their use of these websites can affect the company. Because this is the Age of Information, having a written policy about social media use is the best way to prevent problems with both employer and employee expectations of privacy.
