Why All Employers Need To Provide Employees with Social Media Training
There are numerous reasons that businesses need to have a social media policy. The majority of individuals do not realize the potential danger that can be created through representing an organization in a negative way on social media. Therefore, it’s necessary to have rules and regulations which create standards for people to follow so that a company is represented properly on social media. The policies that a company provides should cover both official social media interactions and those that employees have on their personal social media accounts. When people understand the impact that social media can have on a company’s brand and bottom line, they will be more likely to be careful about what they say publicly. Liability and Endorsement Many people undervalue the fact that a company social media platform is a place where the majority of potential customers come to find out what the core value system is of the people that work for an organization. If people make socially or politically inappropriate comments through a company social media profile, it can negatively impact the overall organization. This is detrimental to the job security of any individual who works for the organization. Therefore, companies must have policies about the type of content which can be shared through a company social media profile. Business owners do
not want to be endorsing ideas and concepts which are not in line with the mindset of their target audience. Policies Pertaining To Harassment There are many individuals who become very passionate about the topics they discuss on social media. This can lead to very intense disagreements which can turn personal very quickly. Business owners need to keep in mind that even professional individuals have certain issues which are sensitive for them. This means that there needs to be a line drawn as it pertains to the sharing of any information on social media that may be seen as a personal attack. Because there are numerous examples of social media harassment leading to legal action like lawsuits, it is best to have company policies that clearly define the need for employees to behave in a manner that won’t create any form of liability. Protecting Sensitive Information It is essential for people to protect sensitive information. Any compromise of this type of information can hinder the company’s ability to do business. This means that there has to be clear knowledge of the issues that can be discussed on social media pertaining to a company. If there are potential or new projects which are going to be presented to the public but have not been released yet, these topics must be kept confidential until there is a public release strategy. Many employees are not knowledgeable about the copyright and trademark laws pertaining to information which should be guarded carefully. This can cause problems for numerous reasons, including the fact that competing companies can utilize information to gain a competitive advantage. Published by: Michelle Hummel Founder of WebMediaUniversity