The Impact of Social Media Within Your Organization
by Kidendei Segereti S.

In this fast-paced digital age, social media has become a communication phenomenon.Users span all ages and ethnicities, and the tools are being used personally, as well as professionally, across the globe. Despite the growing presence of social media in the workplace, many employers are unsure of how to regulate employee use of networking sites and address questionable employee action. Are you confident that you have a well-crafted social media policy in place that protects your employees and your organization — or could you be headed for legal hot water?

As social media continues to grow and evolve, employers are tasked with determining the risks and rewards of using online tools such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogging, and countless others. It might seem simple enough to outright ban employee use of these sites … but at what cost? Social media is a prominent avenue for managing, monitoring, and promoting your brand; successfully recruiting and hiring strong candidates; targeting and executing sales; and conducting market research. Clearly, employers walk a fine line between maximizing the benefits of these tools while minimizing the legal risks associated with their usage.

Have you considered the ramifications of social media misuse in the workplace if not properly regulated? How would you handle the following situations?

·         An employee in your publicly traded company tweets that "something really big is going to happen tomorrow" at work and "it's going to be a profitable New Year." Is this actionable conduct or simply an act of free speech made during an employee's free time?

·         A manager sends his employee a message to her Facebook that she finds hurtful and demeaning. Is your organization at risk for a sexual harassment lawsuit?

·         After work, an employee posts on her MySpace about a frustrating interaction with a client that day. Is she simply venting, or is your organization liable for negative repercussions?

·         A manager notices that one of her employees is posting hurtful comments about her management style and the way she runs the department on his blog outside of work. He doesn't mention her specifically by name, but she is convinced it's a personal attack and wants action taken. Is your organization required to do so?

If your employees are left to guess what kind of conduct is permissible, you and your organization may be facing serious legal issues in the immediate future. It's imperative that you create, distribute, and enforce a comprehensive social media policy that allows your organization to take advantage of the opportunities while protecting itself against legal risk. In just one hour of insightful training, this program will provide you with strategies for drafting and implementing a policy that promotes a positive, balanced work environment that embraces technology. Your employees will have clear-cut guidelines for what actions are appropriate, and your organization will be protected should any questionable situations arise.