Internet Usage Policy

Tips for Preventing Issues with Employees Using Social Media at Work

Here are 10 helpful tips for preventing employee issues relating to employee use of the internet at work to access social media sites from the website of Fisher & Phillips, LLP, Attorneys at Law.

These tips may help you to think about how to begin to craft your own internet usage policy which could encompass areas such as social media, and employee internet use.

1. Get familiar with Facebook, Linked In or other sites that are
popular with your employees.

2. Update current company policies.

3. Consider whether your company environment needs a specific Social Media at Work: How Networking Tools Propel Organizational Performance
social media policy.

4. Prohibit use of the employee’s company e-mail address.

5. Discourage your managers from “friending” their subordinate
employees.

6. Immediately get a copy of any post that is the subject of a
complaint.

7. Only use social media for employment screening in a consistent
way.

8. Warn managers to follow standard policies for recommendations
on Linked In or other professional sites.

9. Be aware of possible protected, concerted activity.

10. Above all, use common sense.

Whether you have concerns about personal internet use at work, or you want to monitor your business internet use, there are effective, and budget friendly tools available for small businesses that can help you monitor inappropriate internet use.

 

Dianne Shaddock is the Founder of Easy Small Business HR, Employee Hiring and Managing Tips.  Through the Employee Hiring and Managing Tips podcast, blog, and weekly ‘quick tips’  e-newsletters,  Dianne offers expert advice on how to make better hiring decisions, manage difficult employees, develop employee policies, motivate staff, and so much more.   No stuffy, corporate HR policy lingo; but straight forward, easy to understand and implement advice for businesses just like yours.  Stay ahead of the curve and go to Easy Small Business HR for more tips on how to hire and manage your staff effectively.

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Prevent Improper Internet Use From Employees


Productivity and company image are two things that could suffer without limits

For all of the benefits that the internet and social media bring to our professional and personal lives, the increased access and visibility also bring a whole new set of problems, particularly for employers.

It’s now commonplace for businesses to prohibit employee access to Web sites with certain types of content. These might include popular social networking Web sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.

Certainly, the employers who take such measures want to prevent reduced productivity. But, it can also prevent disgruntled employees from posting information about the business online.

Prevent bad publicity

In the past few years several public relations disasters have come to light—employees of a national fast food chain posting videos of themselves doing unsanitary and disgusting things to food that presumably sold to customers. It’s hard to tell whether the video made an impact on sales, but employers do not want negative publicity. How do you stop this type of behavior? Implement employee policies that ban the personal use of the internet during work hours and block social networking sites. In addition, prohibit the use of any of the company’s facilities or materials in videos that will appear on employees’ personal sites.

Rely on HR for proper policies

There is no way to control or monitor everything that employees may post on the internet, but the proper policies will help businesses minimize the possibility for bad publicity. Consult an experienced human resources professional to institute employee internet-use policies. Not only do you have to draw up adequate rules, but you’ll also need an implementation strategy.

Don’t attempt to do this on your own. If the language doesn’t precisely address the situation, it creates a loophole that does not allow companies to remedy internet-use violations. That’s why you need a human resources consultant.

Procedures that limit internet and social media use by employees at work helps everyone enjoy the good that internet accessibility brings, rather than the bad.

Human Capital Strategies provides personalized and caring Human Resources & payroll service outsourcing to small and medium sized businesses across the United States.  For more information check out their blog at HCSCanDo.com/blog. This article was originally published by Human Capital Strategies, Inc and reprinted with permission.

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