Do You Have a Social Media Policy in Place for Your Employees?


Do You Have a Social Media Policy in Place for Your Employees?

Two-thirds of all Americans and Canadians are active on at least one social network – and many on multiple sites and platforms. Social media is not going away, nor should you discourage its use among your employees. In fact, used well, it can be an asset to your organization and your employer brand. But there can be potential social media hazards, as well.

A robust social media policy is the best way to ensure your team members know what to post – and what not to – so you can protect both them and your company from harm.

The Benefits of a Good Social Media Policy

Whether your business is already well established on social media or just starting out, it’s a good time to create or shore up your policy. The benefits of a strong social media policy include:

  • Defense against legal trouble and security risks: Your policy should outline any potential threats and include instructions on how to avoid and handle them. It should instruct people about what to do if they accidentally put the company’s reputation at risk or fall prey to a malicious attack themselves.
  • Empowerment of employees to share your positive messages: Use clear guidelines to explain how employees can use social media to promote your brand. Describe best practices for sharing company content and commenting online, as well as when not to engage.
  • Establishment of consistency across social channels: Once you’ve defined the voice of your brand, communicate it across your company and make employees aware of any related standards. For instance, you may want your employees’ Twitter handles to include a brand reference. Also, address proper use of company images, video and other media.

More Pointers

Basically, your social media policy should outline how your company and its employee conduct themselves online and provide the right guidelines for the use of social media in the workplace.

  • Make it a living document. Social media moves and changes fast. You’ll need to make ongoing adjustments to your policy as well.
  • It doesn’t have to be long or complicated. The goal is to provide employees with straightforward guidelines they can easily follow. Here are some examples from Walmart, Coca-Cola, Nordstrom and the Mayo Clinic.

Your policy should cover social media as it applies to your company’s official accounts, as well as rules and guidelines for your employees. Sections might include:

  • Rules and regulations: Outline company expectations for appropriate employee conduct on social media. This could include instructions on brand guidelines, etiquette and engagement, confidentiality, consequences of abuse, and social media for personal use.
  • Roles and responsibilities: Define who is responsible for specific media governance tasks. Roles to assign might include message approval, crisis response, customer service, social engagement, security and legal concerns, staff training and media monitoring.
  • Potential legal risks: People need to know how to handle any areas of evident or potential concern. Topics covered here might be crediting sources, privacy and disclosure procedures and employee disclaimers.

Partner with Frontline Source Group!

The staffing and workforce development experts at Frontline Source Group can partner with you to create, update or fine-tune your corporate social media policy. Looking for a staffing agency in Fort Worth, TX? Contact us today to learn more. To find the branch closest to you, click here.


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Published on Jan 18, 2019