Recently, Pierpont came to a realization: we need to set expectations for our employees for online behavior. Luckily, it came about as a result of best HR practices, not a situation that would wind up on a blog with the title, "what not to do in social media." In short, here's what we discovered:
- Not all "bad" online behavior is as obvious as people think. For example, reasonable people know that posting nude photos will get you fired. It's not as obvious, however, that engaging in a string of entertaining yet snarky comments about a news story or technology product could reflect poorly on your company. Making employees aware of the many implications of social media is a must.
- Employees need help navigating the professional vs. personal line. In our industry, for example, understanding and engaging in social media is part of our job. However, what should your staff members do when a client "friends" them on the Facebook page they've had since their freshman year of college? Don't make your employees answer that question on their own.
- Social media - sanctioned or otherwise - is here to stay. Unlike mine, engaging in social media may not be part of every employee's job description. However, most companies learned long ago that draconian measures like blocking Web sites don't only kill morale, they don't work. A social media policy can show your employees you respect them and give them reasonable boundaries to make it a positive experience for everyone.
Throughout this process, our biggest realization was that we're all learning together. Care to learn from us? Leave a comment, send me an email or drop me a note @Stacy_Armijo and I'll be happy to share Pierpont's social media policy with you. Happy Tweeting!