Should Companies Implement a Social Media Policy?

Employees have constantly talked about their companies, peers, and bosses from day one, well before email or social media.  Today, roughly 75% of adults engage in social media, making it impossible to just shun social media all together, but rather addressing it from a standpoint of what is acceptable and tolerable to organizations.  It is known that people tend to feel more comfortable voicing themselves when all they have to do is hide behind their phone or computer, type, and press submit, share, tweet…etc. In fact, IT abuses have increased over the past 5 years among recent college graduates.  This is not a revelation that this type of chatter exists, but what is more apparent is the accessibility to employee’s feelings, thoughts and viewpoints via social media platforms which can at times be beneficial, yet also damaging at the same time.  (Image is a picture of "Harper Hospital" - image in the public domain - via Wikimedia Commons)

Everyone has the right to state their opinions, but the fact of the matter is that social media is now so mainstream it essentially eliminates face-to-face interaction, which can pose a serious threat to organizations.  It is critical companies implement a social media policy that involves terms and as well as employee training in order to both promote the brand and effectively protect both parties.

Employees represent their company at all times, and it is difficult for anyone to differentiate between work and private life.  Employers have the right to control what their employees discuss via social media avenues both as a way of protection and benefit for both parties.  There is no such thing as privacy when it comes to this aspect of the modern world.  Employers must monitor what their employees say online regardless if it is on-site at work or off-site at home.

Why Your Company Should Adopt A Social Media Policy

There are many reasons why a company should adopt and implement a social media policy. Listed below are but several of the reasons.

• Social Media = Brand Promotion.  Ensure the company’s brand is promoted and enhanced by employees through social media platforms. Training employees how to effectively use social media to benefit both themselves as well as the company.
• Clarity is Power = Efficiency.  The clearer employers are with what is acceptable via social media, the less time they need to spend addressing incidences with employees and the less time employees will spend on ineffective practices.
• Protection.  Protect the brand and reputation of the company by eliminating the risk of employee’s slandering.
• Alignment.  Outline the company’s specific goals and how social media will aid in their accomplishment.

(All accolades and credit for this tremendous blog post are for Kristin Turner who is the author and content creator.)