The Damages of Using Social Networking Sites at Work
It’s amazing how much technology has changed our lives. We can find almost any product or piece of information online in seconds. We can send messages via email in the blink of an eye. In technological terms, however, these services are so yesterday. We now rely on them and they are no longer novel – they are a way of life. So, what’s the latest and greatest new piece of technological communication?
Social networking sites.
To be fair, these sites have been around for a good long while. People have been sharing personal information, favorite songs, and finding old friends for a few years now. What’s changing is that these sites are no longer populated by just teens and college students. More and more, adults of all ages are also flocking to these sites, and many of these people are your employees.
Now, why should you care what your employees do to socialize in their free time? Well, we all know that when people are cranky about the workplace, they tend to tell a friend. Now, instead of a one-on-one conversation, these negative thoughts can be spread across the Internet. Depending on how your employees handle their privacy, these thoughts may come up when potential customers and clients search your site over the Internet. Not only that, but if you are a big name in your company, people may search on you personally as well. The Internet is a public space, and you need to maintain a professional image in every way.
So, what’s a company to do? Well, you should have a policy about company business being discussed outside of the business, and you need to educate your employees. Chances are they love the company and just have off days, but comments made on an off day can hurt your reputation. Take a little time to explain your expectations to your people, and you can keep your reputation safe.
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