5 Ways to Establish and Enforce Social Media Rules for Employees

Social media is a powerful tool for sharing information and exchanging ideas. From Facebook and Twitter to LinkedIn and Instagram, these platforms are a regular part of our lives, both personally and professionally. Yet that’s where the potential problem lies … when the personal and professional lines blur.

If there are no boundaries between individual and organizational representation, or clearly defined social media rules for employees, you may encounter some difficult, business-damaging situations. Fortunately, with a solid social media policy and proper workplace parameters, you can avoid such complications. Here are the steps to take:

1. Develop a social media policy

   A well-crafted social media policy for employees will clarify the proper use of company and private accounts, as well as provide practical examples for guidance. More than just a set of rules, it will highlight the dos and don’ts of appropriate social media activity.

   Consider answering these questions — and incorporating these elements — into your social media policy:

   • How will you regulate use of personal social media accounts during working hours? Will you allow it as long as it doesn’t interfere with an employee’s job responsibilities, or only on breaks, or not at all? Employees should never use company email addresses to register on social networks, blogs or other online tools for personal use.
   • For company accounts, who has authority to use them and, ultimately, speak for your brand? Are approvals necessary for postings, and what is the security and password protocol for access?
   • What does your company consider social media for the purposes of your policy? While most of us think of big platforms like Facebook or Twitter, it can include other channels that facilitate conversations and sharing, such as YouTube, Digg, blogs and other sites with user-generated content.
   • What is strictly prohibited? Hate speech, threats of violence, harassment, defamation and racial epithets on social media are not only illegal, but also a violation of your code of ethics. Make that point crystal-clear in your policy.
   • How will you protect sensitive and confidential information? Employees are privy to certain information in the course of their jobs, so it’s important to stress that they should never share private company details (as well as customers’ personally identifiable information) on a social media platform.
   • Are you upholding the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which affects all employers, whether your employees are union or non-union? Under the NLRA, employees have the right to engage in “protected concerted activity” regarding wages, hours and working conditions. The interpretations of this law is nuanced, but your policy shouldn’t be so strict that it infringes on the rights of employees to engage in these activities.
2. Address violations carefully and consistently

   Emphasize the fact that employees can face serious consequences, up to termination, for not following the guidelines in your social media policy. That being said, you should consider your social media policy as more of a preventive tool than a reactive one. You must always proceed with extreme caution before acting on anything an employee, or group of employees, shares online regarding the workplace. Unless the tweet or post is a malicious comment or personal gripe, it may be permissible under the NLRA and trigger an investigation if you take extreme steps in retaliation.

   

   Want to learn how to encourage positive engagement and strengthen the guidelines in your social media policy? Check out the free tip sheet.

3. Review and update policies regularly

   A policy that dates back to 2010 isn’t in your company’s best interest. Plan on reviewing your social media policy at least annually to ensure it’s still relevant, and that all company details and contact information are up to date. And don’t stop with your social media policy. It’s a good idea to revisit all your work policies once or more a year to ensure they’re current with any applicable laws and company practices. 

4. Strengthen culture and employee satisfaction 

   A disgruntled employee (or ex-employee) can do serious damage to your brand with a heated post, negative Glassdoor review or online comment. A healthy company culture can make a difference in how employees speak of the workplace, in person and online. This is a big topic, but be aware of how you’re treating your employees and the general workplace environment. And in an effort to create a vibrant, positive and respectful workplace culture, look to your managers and leaders to set a good example.

5. Terminate employees with caution

To help reduce conflict with terminated employees (and potentially harmful blasts on social media), always follow a properly documented, progressive disciplinary process leading to the termination decision — and do what you can to end the relationship on civil terms. Exit interviews can help minimize frustrations and clear the air,  as can offering to provide recommendations if the relationship warrants it.

Take Advantage of a Web-Based Company Policies App

From attendance and employee leave to telecommuting and social media use, you can communicate essential workplace protocol through a single, easy-to-use app. The Company Policies Smart App from HRdirect lets you choose and edit current, attorney-developed policies, as well as invite employees to view them online. Plus, the app tracks when policies are sent and reviewed by employees, providing valuable documentation.