Consequences of Not Having a Social Media Policy

It seems to be getting clearer that avoiding/locking out employees from all social media usage is an ineffective approach. The fact is with over 500 million Facebook members - your employees are talking on social media and they may be talking about your company. Even if they chat on their own time, what they have to say about their job and your company could come back and bite you hard.

Having a written Policy for Social Media that spells out the guidelines and invites participation not only defines the sandbox so employees aren't left in the dark and wondering what they can and can't say, but also allows you to have a more vibrant connection with your customers.

Kristen talks about some of the consequences of not having a social media policy in her recent blog post entitled Setting Your Company's Social Media Policy Can Prevent Disaster Online.

She says:

Operating without a social media policy is like driving without a seatbelt; eventually it will cost you, and the consequences could be dire.

Bear in mind that an effective social media policy should not shut down social media activity in your company, but rather encourage it. This policy should also protect your business and employees from getting in trouble online with the law if confidential information is leaked, a subpoena is issued, or an eDiscovery request comes about.

Since social media for corporate marketing is fairly new, most companies fail to think about a social media policy until it is too late. If someone is planning on targeting your company and you do not have a policy in place, you will find yourself very unprepared and taken off guard.

Do you have a policy in writing? Consider the Policy for Social Media manual which spells out 16 policies and detailed procedures for participating in social media both on and off the job.

Here's what one HR professional had to say about Policy for Social Media:

After creating, researching and revising multiple client's Social Media policies, I found a comprehensive guide by All Write Ink. All of the elements from Introduction to Consequences are covered in their Policies for Social Media. The value of the last two pages of related resources make the cost a complete bargain. Thank you to Deborah Chaddock Brown for a 'complete package' on Social Media and the related policies and procedures.

Sonya L. Weiland, PHR
President, WeilandWorks Consulting

Social Media is Already Entrenched - Guidelines are Needed

You may think your employees are abiding by the "no social media" policy, but 50% ignore the rule, according to the recently published Cisco's '2010 Midyear Security Report.' A review of the report, written by Nancy Davis Kho, had this to share:

The report found that 75% of employees surveyed identified online collaboration as critical to their jobs, and 90% said such collaboration makes them more productive. And it appears that they're committed to collaboration, whether or not their employers are: 45% of employees who are in the Millennial generation use social network sites at work, though only 32% say such use is supported by their IT departments. Half of respondents said they ignore company policy prohibiting use of social media tools at least once a week.

If the horse has already left the barn...it is time to define the pasture borders. Having a policy for social media acknowledges the fact that social media is here to stay. It is a great resource for collaboration and connecting with customers and co-workers. So why not embrace it and just define the boundaries?

The Policy for Social Media manual and companion Employee How to Guide help to do that for you.

Social Media Policies Aren't Enough

Lynne Johnson, senior vice president of social media for the Advertising Research Foundation (and a former editor for Fast Company) is quoted in an article entitled Corporate Social Media Policies: The Good, the Mediocre, and the Ugly in which a number of company policies for social media are shared.

Johnson sums up the policy overviews by saying this:

"And though I realize that policies are not educational documents --
guidelines are. And that's what's missing from a lot of them listed, actual
guidelines. How to do it, where, why -- with examples."

I couldn't agree more. The rules and regulations - sandbox boundaries if you will, need to be clearly defined. But it is one thing to give the black and white which is written to protect the company and it is another to give the how-to examples so that the employees feels comfortable getting started.

If an employee just sees the rules and if the rules are extensive to the point of FRIGHTENING - the employee won't even begin to reach out to customers via social media.

"I don't want to get involved, I might mess up and then loose my job."

Take for example the CNN employee who was fired for a Tweet.

CNN’s senior editor of Middle Eastern affairs, Octavia Nasr, was shown the door Wednesday after sending a tweet that expressed respect for the Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah. Despite a lengthy explanation of her 140 character foot-in-mouth, CNN brass stood by their decision.

A simple, easy to follow, how to guide that goes hand in hand with the policies is a great tool for your employees to help them understand the proper way to get started. Now there is an Employee How To Guide available that follows the same 16 policies and procedures outlined in the Policy for Social Media manual available from AllWrite Ink.

For just $9.95 you can download this helpful newsletter format instruction guide that includes a variety of additional websites and resources to help get your employees started connecting with customers via social media.

Policy for Social Media What If Scenarios

You have decided to open the social media arena to your employees but what if some just aren't ready? What if some abuse the opportunity?

Coming soon is a management companion piece to the Policy for Social Media manual and the Employee How To Guide called the Manager's How to and What If Guide. Here are a few of the situations that will be addressed in this valuable guide:

Manager’s “How to” and “What If” Guide for Social Media

· Employee wants to participate in social media as part of their job. How do you determine if they are a good candidate?

· An employee wants to participate in social media but they aren’t a good candidate; what do you do/say?

· How do you “listen” to what your employees are saying on social media; both on and off the job?

What if employee…

· Has a picture on their personal Facebook page of them wearing items with the company logo visible and they are doing something inappropriate?

· Is spending too much time on social media during the work day and it is effecting their overall work performance?

· Has “followers” on one or more of their accounts that leaves inappropriate messages?

· Leaves negative comments about the company or company products without a reasonable explanation?

· Offers status updates that are too casual or consistently don’t add value? (i.e. just poured a cup of coffee, having trouble staying focused, would rather be home/at the beach/golfing, etc.)

· Offers no sympathy to customers expressing concern?

· Isn’t responsive to comments/questions/complaints from followers?

· Uses images or uploads video that are too personal or not a professional representation of the company?

· Actively begins using social media to look for a job during working hours?

· Shares opinions not representative of the company?

· Provides false information – intentionally or not intentionally?

· Is making money from social media on company accounts during company hours?

Visit Policy for Social Media soon to purchase your copy of this great training material.

Policy for Social Media Employee How to Guide

Having a written policy for social media manual is a great place to start. You need the written word to help define the boundaries for acceptable behavior when it comes to talking about your company and your products on the Internet.

But a policy manual can be boring reading.

Now there is a colorful, newsletter format employee how to guide that explains the basics for getting started with social media.

This PDF download file is a great companion piece to the Policy for Social Media manual. Available for just $9.95 - you'll want to order your copy today!



Don't have the Policy for Social Media manual yet? Download the manual with 16 policies and procedures for social media participation and start buzzing about your company today.

Policy for Social Media YouTube commercial

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Only 41% of Companies have Policy for Social Media

I just read an article about the use of social media as a strategy for marketing in which the writer quotes the following:

Surveying executives from 100 companies, the market researcher found that
while 78% of respondents' companies are actively using social media, although
only 41% reported that these activities are executed through a corporate social
media plan.

The author, Sheila Shayon, goes on to say that most of the policies only speak about marketing while only "16% include human resources or recruiting activities."

The Policy for Social Media manual available here includes information on the hows and whys from a marketing perspective but also:

• Using social media to establish crediblity for each employee
• How to use LinkedIn as a research tool for recruiting and sales prospecting
• The details of unacceptable behavior and the consequences of said behavior
• Keeping personal and professional lives separate
• How to incorporate social media into your daily work schedule while still staying on task of what is expected

The Policy for Social Media is a complete document that encompasses the benefits of appropriate/successful participation from the company's perspective but also what is in it for customers and employees.

For just $49.95 you can download this valuable manual and start protecting your company brand while creating buzz for your business!