Social media has blurred the line between personal and professional life. What can an employer do to safeguard their business? A proactive approach in which you set rules and educate your employees is best. Here are some basic guidelines:
- Develop guidelines regarding personal versus work-related accounts. Address specific aspects such as photos, language and the sharing of company and personal information.
- Employees need to know whether they are allowed to use social media during work hours and any regulations. If something is posted while the employee should be working, they should not expect or assume privacy or confidentiality. In addition, if the worker identifies him or herself as working for a particular company, they must note their opinions are their own and do not reflect those of the company.
- If you plan to monitor social media usage, be sure the employee is aware of the policy set forth and the extent and nature of possible monitoring.
The time you invest to implement social networking guidelines can guard your company from unwanted exposure and loss of business.