Social Media in the workplace

Social media is one of those technologies that, for organisations, can sit at both sides of the spectrum. It can be a great tool while at the same time cost the company untold hours in wasted staff time.

No matter how you look at and how technologies evolve, social media is here to stay. With platforms available seamlessly across most devices PCs, laptops, tablets, smart phones and even smart TV’s.

To ensure Social media is used for the greater good, organisations need to have a Social Media Policy in place. This policy needs to be available and widely understood by all those who work in the organisation, and not just filed somewhere to be pulled out during grievance and discipline sessions.

Things to consider in any policy are:

Rules for Staff Use at Work: Does the organisation ban the use of some/or all social media platforms for personal use on it premises/from its devices. Is limited use allowed during official break times. Or, is the organisation comfortable with open use on a trust basis.

Tool for Recruitment: Broad guidelines should be in place, on how managers are allowed to use social media as a tool in the recruitment processes. From advertising the position to vetting potential candidates. A clear policy will help ensure consistency.

Company Channels: Who has the rights to update the company’s social media channels and which channels will the organisation make use of. From Facebook, to YouTube, from Twitter to Pinterest all avenues need exploring, considering then a clear strategy drafted.

Sharing of Data: Organisations should make it clear that confidential information about the company, its customers, partners, or suppliers should not be disclosed via social media. This should include documents, future plans, finances, photographs, videos, etc.  It should be made clear that the relevant management team should be the only ones to disclose such information when appropriate.

Personal Use: With the boundaries of work life and personal life blurring through the advancement of social media technology, employers must make it clear; what work life information they are happy with the employees sharing. If venting anger and naming on open platform is not allowed, this should be made clear.

Professional Profiles: Employees should be encouraged to keep the professional profile up to date, on sites like linked in. This includes skills, responsibilities and positions etc. Just as you as an organisation can vet prospect employees, so can prospective customers and business partners vet you and your people as an organisation. 

These are just a few pointers on developing a social media policy, but all organisation, large or small, should have such a policy in place. The final thing to remember is that technology moves fast and the face of social media is ever changing. In order to stay current, any social media policy must be reviewed, updated and communicated on a regular basis.

Will Hogarth

CTO @ VGS GLOBAL