Social Media – HR’s Worst Nightmare

Before the internet, companies monitored employee discipline based on personal interaction, work performance and the occasional moment where an employee interacted with management outside the office. Social media and the internet changed the game. The barrier between professional career and personal life has slowly been eradicated meaning it’s not just in the work place or with colleagues where discipline can and is assessed.

There is no such thing as employees using social media “off the clock.” That is, even if an individual tweets or updates their Facebook status outside of the four walls of the workplace that communication can still impact the workplace.

Employees play a part in a company’s brand image, and thus, social media can lead to job termination or other professional reprimands when either the company sees or an interested third party sees what they deem an “inappropriate post.”

Social media has created a free speech nightmare for HR professionals the world over. Anyone who has worked in the HR environment the last five years has certainly experienced work friendships being torn apart because of comments made on social media or has had to address inappropriate comments or images related to the workplace posted on social media. Even, from time to time, matters of criminal behaviour.

MET Marketing are hosting a free breakfast seminar presented by Neil Wilson, a leading Yorkshire Employment Law Solicitor and the managing partner of Chadwick Lawrence on February 24^th from 07:30 – 09:00am, with the intention to inform and educate delegates on evolving case law decisions involving the use of social media in the workplace.

Whether or not your company has already been involved in any dispute pertaining to the use of social media, these platforms are here to stay and any organisation that does not have established social media policies within their employee contracts are open to unwanted lawsuits.

To register for our free seminar click this link.

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