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Greetings!
Social Media Governance is an issue that most business people are concerned about. We know that we need to be part of this form of media but we aren't always sure how to handle this or how much time to spend on it etc etc....
There is tremendous value to utilizing Social Media for many reasons and there are clearly many benefits. You need a policy to match your management style and culture. Social media is here to stay, so ignoring that fact is a mistake.
I would like to highlight some important issues that you might want to think about while governing employee use.
Governance and Some other Issues
- Provide employees with the rights and expectations of privacy related to use
- Protect the interest of stakeholders
- Ensure your handbook addresses social media
- Define roles and responsibilities for those that are responsible to keeping up social media sites
- Be sure everyone understands the "do's and don'ts - define what you consider appropriate use and ethical behaviors
- Be sure content is appropriate
- Watch for phrases and comments that could be discriminatory or a form of bullying or harassment
- Discuss confidentiality parameters
- Productivity is effected by too much time spent on social media
- Reputations are defined by what is written and discussions/opinions
- Be sure you discuss the "blurring" of lines between management and employees when they are "friends" on such sites as facebook
- Consider assigning maintenance of social media to a few employees who are well trained in utilization and monitors content on a regular basis
- Ensure you utilize an employee that is well experienced, understands your business and is a seasoned professional; this person or persons will be expressing the brand of your organization widely through this method of marketing
Be sure you develop a formal Social Media Policy
Some content to consider for the policy...
- Be sure the policy states that financial, confidential, proprietary or sensitive information is prohibited
- Be sure that any written information is done so in a professional, respectful manner
- Carefully outline the important of comments and how they can reflect perceptions and one's reputation
- Never "bad mouth" a client, customer, partner, employee, competitor etc
- All information remains in "cyberspace" forever
- Nothing is ever "really" private
- Utilize disclaimers and require that employees do so when they are not "speaking" on behalf of the organization
- Never post obscenities
- Never post when angry or feeling rushed
- Avoid sarcasm
- Be sure that employees know that use will be monitored
- Be sure employees know they are not to speak on behalf of the company without authorization to do so
- Be sure that you have a system of reporting violations
- Include discipline for violations
- Remind employees of proper use of employer owned equipment including computers, licensed software etc
Monitor content on the web your reputation depends on it !!!!
If I can help you develop a policy for your organization, please email or call me.
Wishing you all the best always, Jeannine Brown Miller, MA, SPHR Principal Consultant
716-946-8381 jbmhr@roadrunner.com |
