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Speaker- Trainer- Consultant
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Greetings!
Will you be my friend? If you have a Facebook account, you may receive this message many times a day. But, what if you are a boss? Should you accept an invitaton from one of your direct reports? Or, if you are an employee, should you send an invitation to your boss? Great questions for this week's newsletter.
Great reading!
Diane
P.S. Please share your thoughts about this email or send future topic ideas to diane@dianeamundson.com
P.S.S. Welcome to all of my new readers from DGCM in Winnipeg, Canada. I enjoyed working with all of you last week!
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Will You Be My Friend? Should A Boss Be Friends With Their Employees on Facebook?
"A man who wishes to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."
Jack Lee
Social media has drastically changed our lives from the way we receive news to the way we stay connected with friends and co-workers. Some of you have decided to stay out of this form of communication while others have become experts on how to navigate private settings, post photos and updates and set up your timeline.
Facebook is here to stay and it has become entangled with the world of work as many employers are using this social platform to make hiring decisions based on what they see or read on a person's profile. But what should a boss do if they receive a request to become a friend of one of their direct reports?
Should they accept? My response is NO! You may argue that all the current leadership books tout that leaders are supposed to find ways to connect with their employees on a personal level. Or, bosses should know about employee's family and friends so they are more approachable? Yes, we want to be approachable as a boss, but Facebook is not the way to do this. I present the following three reasons why it is not a good idea to "friend" your employees on Facebook:
- Facebook profiles will often reveal personal information like age, sexual preference, health issues, etc. An employer needs to remain objective about an employee and knowing too much personal information can alter your perception of their ability to do their work and put you in a legally dangerous position. For instance, if you terminate someone for performance, they may be able to claim that you let them go due to personal information that may be protected by law, i.e., age, sexual orientation, religious preference.
- You will need to screen your status updates to make certain you are the role model that a boss needs to be. Any embarrassing photos or comments may have an impact on your employee's perception of you as a leader. Also, if you show your new, expensive boat on your photo album, this may create jealousy or resentment which could create the perception that you make a lot more money than everyone else.
- Your employees may feel you are condoning their use of Facebook during work hours if you are their friend even if company policy prohibits it.
As an employee, it may harm your chances of promotion or keeping your job if your personal information or status updates make your boss question your integrity or decision making. If you currently have your boss as your friend, I would adjust your privacy settings so they no longer see your updates or photos.
Keeping professional boundaries between a boss and employee are critical for maintaining a healthy work relationship. With today's use of Facebook and social media, it is easy to have those boundaries blurred but the goal is for a boss is to remain objective and an employee to put their best foot forward.
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About Us
Diane Amundson is the owner of Diane Amundson & Associates. She has been training, speaking and consulting for over sixteen years in the areas of leadership, creativity, generational diversity, team building, sales communication, conflict resolution and strategic planning. She has worked with Fortune 500 Companies like General Mills and Pepsi Cola along with numerous school districts in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has co-authored a book titled Success Strategies: A High Achiever's Guide to Success. She is a member of the National Speakers Association and has served as Adjunct Professor of Organizational Behavior at Winona State University.
She is a Rotarian that has traveled the world on humanitarian projects in Mongolia, India and Brazil.
Her style of speaking is informative and highly interactive.
Diane Amundson & Associates
Phone: (507)452-2232 Fax:(507)452-0090 24456 County Road 9 Winona, MN 55987 |
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