The answer to that question is an emphatic yes. Employees are going to be on multiple social media platforms, and, like it or not, where they work is likely to enter the conversation. So the reputation of the company is at stake. It is obviously better to be proactive than reactive, so you can prevent a public relations issue in the first place, rather than having to put out fires later. Here are some other important reasons why you need to have a social media policy.
4 Reasons You Need a Social Media Policy For Your Workplace
1. To navigate the digital environment and protect the company’s brand.
In the past, the lines of demarcation between work and personal life were much more solid and clear. But with social media, those boundaries no longer exist. If your employees are online with social media, they are de facto representatives of your company, and so they need to understand that what they say will, like it or not, reflect on the company.
You need to have a policy to protect the company’s reputation. The policy needs to spell out what is and is not proper for employees to be discussing online. Generally, it includes anything you would not want to be available to the general public, because that is where it will probably end up. Employees need to be advised that whatever appears on social media could end up being used against them and their employers.
Employees also need to use the privacy settings to limit who can access their posts. This will help to better control their personal information.
The policy should also state which social media platforms are acceptable for use at work and which are not.
2. To maintain good public relations
In addition to spelling out the kinds of things employees should not do on social media, a good policy will also cover those things that they should do. The policy should explain how employees can use social media to help the business grow and prosper. The policy should outline the kinds of information that employees should share on social media
3. To prevent the divulgence of confidential information.
The policy should clearly explain what the company considers public information and what it does not. You don’t want employees posting about company secrets online.
4. To designate the voice of the company
Employees need to know who the official voice of the company is, so they know who to refer people to if they have questions or issues with the business. The policy would also spell out the conditions under which the official spokesman should be the only one commenting online.
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