How To Write A Social Media Policy For Care Staff

James Lintern, co-founder of staf f management software provider, RotaCloud (http://rotacloud.com/), gives us his advice on how to write a social media policy for care staf f, and how to use it to proactively minimise any potential disr uption social media can cause

“Social media plays a significant role in most people s lives nowadays but for all its positives it also contains risks, both for the individual and for employers From a business perspective one mistake can have the potential to devastate a company s reputation, so it’s important to have a policy in place to mitigate those risks

“From a poorly judged tweet to an inappropriate public comment things can quickly escalate and go viral and with people s personal information easily available online including where they work it’s important that staff know how what they post can affect them at work And while you never want to try to police what staff do in their own time it is important for them to know that their actions can affect their employment

“This is why having a written social media policy is vital It helps you:

Ensure your employees understand their rights and responsibilities

Protects your business' reputation

Helps avoid potential legal troubles like unfair dismissal claims in case of serious policy breaches

The scope and complexity of your social media policy can vary depending on factors such as the size and nature of your business

It could be a short section in your employee handbook or a standalone document that covers social media conduct on different platforms

No matter its format though, you need to make sure the policy is easily accessible to your team members And if you re adding it to an existing handbook be sure to let your staff know about the new addition and ask them to formally acknowledge that it has been read

“A comprehensive social media policy should include the following key sections:

Introduction: Start with a clear explanation of why the policy exists and emphasise that it is not intended to control employees' behaviour outside of work hours Encourage open communication and address any concerns they may have

General guidance: Remind employees that even personal social media activity can reflect on their employer Reinforce company values, code of conduct, and discrimination policy Stress that employees are responsible for their online behaviour on all platforms, including text, audio, and video content, and that any behaviour such as bullying, harassment or illegal content will not be tolerated and could lead to dismissal

Confidentiality: Highlight that confidentiality agreements and data protection policies extend to social media use Link to relevant documents and explicitly state what kind of information should never be disclosed, such as information about service users or colleagues

Self-identifying: Unless specified in their job description, employees should generally not represent or advocate for the company online during personal time Encourage keeping work and private lives separate by not openly identifying as employees or using work email addresses for non-work-related activities, and emphasise that company assets should not be shared without permission If staff do choose to identify themselves as employees, advise them to include a disclaimer in their social media profiles stating that their opinions are their own

“Remember, these are general guidelines, and the specific content of a social media policy may vary depending on the organisation's needs, but these are a good baseline to start with

“Employers cannot (and should not) restrict their employees' personal social media usage or online expression, but it is important for businesses to protect their reputations from any potential fallout A clear, thorough, and regularly updated social media policy should do that, by informing employees of their responsibilities and making them aware of the potential consequences ”

For more advice on how to write a social media policy for your care business, read RotaCloud’s blog here https://rotacloud com/blog/how-to-write-a-social-media-policy/