Teacher's Facebook comments about student's suspension cause stir
Click HERE to read the entire article.
Start by setting standards. Here is a sample of Intel's opening statement for their policy:
These are the official guidelines for social media at Intel. If you're an Intel employee or contractor creating or contributing to blogs, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds, or any other kind of social media both on and off intel.com—these guidelines are for you. We expect all who participate in social media on behalf of Intel to be trained, to understand and to follow these guidelines. Failure to do so could put your future participation at risk. These guidelines will continually evolve as new technologies and social networking tools emerge—so check back once in awhile to make sure you're up to date.
Then educate your employees on social media etiquette. Here are only a few examples:
- It's okay to disagree but keep it respectful, appropriate and polite.
- Ask yourself if you are adding value to the conversation.
- Review your comments before pressing the "send" button. If you are the slightest bit uncomfortable, please take the hint and delete without sending.
- Even if your social media activities take place outside work, what you say can have an influence on your ability to conduct your job responsibilities.
- What you write is your responsibility.
- Stick to your area of expertise.
- Be transparent.
As with all policy, you must make your employees aware of it and ensure that they understand the policy, why it has been established and the consequences of not following it.
Does your company have a social media policy?
I like your post especially the part about making the employees aware of social media. I run across a lot of companies that (says they)have a SMP but the only people who know are the marketeers and maybe management. Looking at the horror stories in social media, it is other people who create them (not on purpose, most of the time). So I claim that once you have a policy you must present (NOT email) the policy to ALL employees. A policy should also help them with their social media presence.
ReplyDeleteMic Adam
Thank you for your comments. I have been preaching social media policy (SMP) for such a long time and continually come across companies, both large and small, who haven't thought that through. I like your statement about presenting the policy to employees as opposed to emailing it.
ReplyDelete