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Can Social Networking Damage Your Business?
August 2009
Allowing staff access to sites like Facebook can mean hours of wasted time. But as recent reports show, if it’s not properly managed, it can also harm your reputation. So what’s the latest and how do you stop it happening to you?
How are these sites being used?
Previously we explained the problems that can occur by allowing staff to access social networking sites whilst at work. But over the last few months there’s been a new trend whereby many employees have sep up specific Facebook groups designed to poke fun at anything connected to their work.
Misused and abused
In the following examples all the organisations involved were not aware of what was happening until the harm had been done and their reputations were damaged:
- Some British Airways staff said customers were “smelly”, “thick” and “annoying” and invited other staff to post comments
- Employees of a branch of Boots posed the question, “If you could punch customers, how and where would you do it?” They then ran an online debate on the subject
- Police officers from various forces joined the group “Who’s had the best police car accident” then had competitions as to who could post the most shocking pictures
- NHS staff have acted along similar lines, most recently when a picture of a burse giving the “V” sign over a patient’s head during an operation.
Dodgy videos. Unfortunately, another growing problem is harmful videos being uploaded to YouTube. In one well-publicised example employees of Burger King were videoed taking baths in their employer’s kitchen sinks. Others have included videos of potentially lethal pranks on construction sites. If enforcement agencies, e.g. the Health & Safety Executive or your local environmental health department, get wind of this, it’s likely they will investigate.
Taken action
In most of these cases the employees concerned were sacked and/or disciplined. But by that time, the harm to their employers had already been done. So what can you do to minimise the risk of this happening to your business?
Have a clear policy
Introduce a clear electronic and telephonic communications policy that can draw together your approach to all aspects of computer and Internet use.
Tip 1. Make it clear that any direct or indirect identification of your business via sites such as Facebook and YouTube etc. is forbidden. This should include business logos, photographs of products and the identification of customers.
Tip 2. The policy should always be non-contractual. This lets you update it to incorporate new risks as soon as you become aware of them.
Tip 3. Such behaviour may be viewed as gross misconduct and could warrant summary dismissal. So make it clear that any breaches of the policy will lead to disciplinary action
Groups of staff have been caught criticising customers on Facebook and uploading harmful images to YouTube. By the time it was discovered their employer’s reputation was in tatters. Introduce a policy banning any identification of your business and make it clear that any breach will lead to disciplinary action.
Source: Tips & Advice Personnel 9 July 2009
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