Human Resources Blog - Spark Hire

Why Your Company’s Social Media Policy Matters

Social media is a hot topic these days among job seekers and employers alike. Everyone knows the power behind even just one tweet, so it’s becoming increasingly common for companies to put social media policies into place. Potential new hires are also interested in a company’s social media policy, as they want to know exactly what is and is not permissible should they get hired by that organization. If you’re still struggling to get your business’s social media policy in line, consider these tips:

  • Figure out how closely you’ll monitor your employees’ social media use: Potential new hires want to hear how their social media habits will be monitored. In order to make this clear, the company must first decide how involved they want to be in the staff members’ social media presence. Will they only intervene if an inappropriate tweet is sent? Will they follow all of their employees on Twitter? This truly depends on the management team, the size of the company, and the industry in which the business is involved.
  • Decide what constitutes social media: Some people view social media only as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and other similar sites. Others think of it as blogs and LinkedIn too. If you’re going to create a company-wide social media policy, make sure you specify exactly what you’re talking about.
  • Determine who owns what: You’ll want to figure out who owns what when it comes to a blog or an article that your employees write. How will you handle personal blogs that are written on company time? What about a piece that went on the business’s website? Setting rules about ownership ensures that everyone is on the same page. In addition to this, potential new hires will want to know exactly what happens to the content they create, both at work and after hours.
  • Figure out who can speak out on behalf of the company: As employers know, thanks to social media, anyone can become a representative for the company. While this is powerful, it can also be dangerous when it’s not used correctly. Before the situation presents itself, make sure you know exactly who is qualified to issue a response to a client or comment on company business. Will it be your social media director? Any staff member? Only the CEO? Determining these rules before a complaint, compliment, or concern needs answering prevents confusion and miscommunication.

With social media playing such a major role in daily life today, determining exactly what is acceptable is helpful for current employees and potential hires. What kind of social media policy does your group have in place?

Lauren Levine

Lauren Levine is a copywriter/blogger who contributes to a number of magazines and websites including The Frisky, USA Today, and others. She also authors her own blog called Life with Lauren. She loves cooking, anything on the E! network, and is trying to convince herself that running isn't so bad.