With the increased usage in social media today, the rules of
the workplace have seen a change in behavior. Prior to the uprising of social
media, employers’ biggest worries were tardy or lackadaisical employees. Now,
they must monitor their employees’ social media and Internet usage. Today, it
is hard to avoid social media. Every brand, product, and person essentially
uses one of the many platforms available. While social media has many positive
attributes, it does have the potential to be a distraction and inhibit
someone’s performance at work.
Personally, I do not think it should be banned from the
workplace. There are ways to control the usage of it. I believe by telling
employees they cannot do something, it may cause a rift between management and
employees that can further hurt productivity. I have heard of companies
allowing a certain allotment for Internet usage per day. Yes, it is somewhat
controlling, but it creates an agreement. By highlighting the fact that social
media previously was not allowed, but the organization states it will allow a
predetermined amount of time one can use on breaks or downtime, I feel it
creates an environment of freedom and trust. Or Scott (2013) suggests in
regards to employees emailing/blogging “{…} my recommendation to organizations
is simple. I’d suggest implementing corporate policies saying such things as
employees can’t sexually harass anyone, that they can’t reveal secrets, that
they can’t use inside information to trade stock or influence prices, and that
they shouldn’t talk ill of the competition in
any way or via any media.” (p.92) This would be another conducive manner to
handle this type of situation.
Regarding the termination of an employee for social media posts
outside of the workplace, but address the employer or a fellow employee, I
believe the situation can be avoided by establishing a set of rules like
mentioned above. If the employee acts beyond those boundaries, then termination
is permitted. If not, then there should be a constructive talk where both
parties air out their concerns. Every situation is different and if there are
not pre-established rules in place, then there is much grey area.
An article by newmedia.org states, “Moreover, employers must be sensitive to
those situations where employees violate company policies through the use of
social media – but outside of the workplace. For example, if an
employer has knowledge that an employee is engaging in conduct on Facebook or
MySpace -- but outside of the workplace -- that violates the company’s unlawful
workplace harassment policy, the company nevertheless has a legal obligation to
act.” (para, 7) Having rules set in place will certainly alleviate any disputes
between the parties involved in these type scenarios.
You can find this
article at: http://www.newmedia.org/articles/social-media-and-the-workplace.html
The tip that stood out to me, as I had never put much thought
into it was, ‘Don’t trust that a message
is really from who it says it’s from.’ (11 tips for social networking
safely, tip 3) It may seem somewhat
obvious, however, I personally tend to go right ahead and click a link I
believe is from my friend. I never truly considered that they might have been
hacked. Looking back, there is a few times where I have followed a link and it
is something totally different. I have always ignored it but after reading
further into this, I realize I am putting myself at risk to be compromised. I
realize now I have no clue what security, if any, my friends systems are hooked
up to. They may be sending vast amounts of spam and have no idea. After reading
this, I will stay more vigilante and proceed properly when opening links in
emails and other messages.
References:
Scott, D., (2013) The New Rules of Marketing & Pr.
Editor, NMI (24 January, 2012) Social Media and The Workplace. Retrieved from: http://www.newmedia.org/articles/social-media-and-the-workplace.html
11 tips for social networking safely. Retrieved from: http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/social-networking.aspx
Scott, D., (2013) The New Rules of Marketing & Pr.
Editor, NMI (24 January, 2012) Social Media and The Workplace. Retrieved from: http://www.newmedia.org/articles/social-media-and-the-workplace.html
11 tips for social networking safely. Retrieved from: http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/social-networking.aspx
Hi Jordan,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point about not banning the use of social media, but rather gaining control over it. I imagine there would be a refit between employees and management it social media were taken away completely. It would also be almost impossible to take it away completely as people have access to it through various other personal devices. Blocking sites on the company internet would be a moot point.
You and Allison both brought up Scott's suggestion of guiding employees via corporate policy of the specific things that cannot be done at the workplace. This may very well be a more constructive way of handling social media violations.
I found a particular part of the link you posted to be quite fascinating:
"Managers and employees are now faced with uncertainty over what is considered to be private and exclusive from the workplace, and what online behavior can be grounds for discipline in the workplace or further legal action.
For example, employee’s often harbor the misconception that they have an absolute right to “freedom of speech” in their usage of social media during the workday and outside of the workday. When I handled my first employee termination, for acts committed via Facebook, the employee’s initial response to my client’s human resource officer was to express outrage over the alleged infringement of her right to free speech. Simply put, in the private sector, no such right exists. To state a claim of freedom of speech one must, among other things, have government action involved." (NMI, para. 3 & 4)
It is amazing to me that there are some people who believe that the First Amendment will always protect their social media. Just like with instances we have seen with reality stars or other celebrities speaking out against the networks for which they are currently working, or an unknown employee who makes false or offensive claims about the company for which he/she is working, the companies have the right to terminate.
As for the tip of not trusting who a message is from, I am certainly guilty of assuming a message is really from who it's claiming to be from. It is something that I know I will also be more conscious of from this point forward.
Thanks for your post!
reference:
Editor, NMI (24 January, 2012) Social Media and The Workplace. Retrieved from: http://www.newmedia.org/articles/social-media-and-the-workplace.html
Hi Debra,
DeleteIn the past when reading or hearing about these social media cases where an employee is terminated have amazed me, as well. People tend to reference the amendments from our constitution like they are supposed to grant them immunity from any wrong-doing. In reality, they have no idea what they're talking about and it shouldn't excuse them from posting detrimental statements on their social media platforms. In the article I posted, I found this excerpt interesting regarding a court case of an employee termination.
"The common thread associated with an employer’s reaction to an employee’s misuse of social media is based on the doctrine of the duty of loyalty. The basic principle is that an employee has a duty preventing the employee from acting, during the employment relationship, in a manner contrary to the employer’s interest. Chernow v. Reyes, 239 N.J. Super. 201, 204 (App. Div.); certif. denied, 122 N.J. 184 (1990)"
People need to realize they cannot disparage their employer simply because they do not agree with something. Just as the employer is responsible, the employee must reciprocate and protect the interest of the employer, too.
Very well said. I have worked in places where people would get fired for writing negative things about our bosses or fellow employees and it always amazed me that people still continued to do it. I agree with what you said regarding the employee also protecting the interest of the employer. Granted there are exceptions to every rule, but as a whole I think that people need to take responsibility and be held accountable for their actions online.
DeleteWhat is interesting is that many people have complaints about their companies or their managers and they tell others about it all of the time. Employees can disagree with their employers as well about decisions that are made. The problem with posting it to social media is that it can be seen and heard by so many more people. It is the magnitude and public nature of the message that makes it problematic for individuals and the companies that they work for.
DeletePeople also cite their amendment rights for other things besides freedom of speech. Lately, with all of the shootings that have been occurring, there have been some that are calling for stricter gun control. Those that oppose this continue to reference their second amendment right to bear arms. Each amendment “right carries certain responsibilities, and if too many people disregard or abuse those responsibilities, the inevitable result is the loss of that right for everyone” (Terry, 2015, para 3).
Terry, R. (2015, Oct 9). My view: Misinterpretation of Second Amendment is paralyzing. Deseret News. Retrieved from http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865638619/Misinterpretation-of-Second-Amendment-is-paralyzing.html?pg=all.
Jordan,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I like your thoughts and suggestions on the social media control and parameters for working environments. I agree with your overall belief that it is a trend that cannot be avoided - but I like how you suggest ways to build trust and appreciation in the work environment by setting boundaries and allowing a buffer for personal habits. As I suggest in my own blog post - I don't necessarily see anything different from social media browsing and chatting with coworkers. There is always an outlet for "wasting time" - but I think these mental breaks are necessary to maintain a positive morale environment for workers. We have also discussed in past blog discussions that it has even proven to increase creativity. I believe you suggest fantastic avenues for employers to approach the topic of social media in order to be equal and fair for all parties.
I also agree with your opinion on the hacking or virus posts that have been becoming increasingly sneaky and camouflaged. I, also, find it difficult to sometimes tell the difference between social media spam and actual posts. While these scams used to be more obvious in the original days of email viruses - they now blend almost synonymously with the overall timeline content. As you state - it is scary to think of what could, or has, happened with a single click - especially with all of the information present on our computers in the modern age. I am glad you shared this point as it helped remind me to always be mindful when on the computer and social media. Sometimes, we let the reality of the dangers slip away from top of mind, but it is definitely something to be aware of at all times.
Hi Caitlin,
DeleteThanks for the response - I agree, social media cannot be avoided but certainly can be controlled. Also, it is no different than going to grab a coffee or standing in someones cubicle for 15 minutes talking about non related work activities. I too believe it is important for employees to take a mental break and allow them to peruse something that allows them to relax. Otherwise, it creates burnout, and further productivity suffers regardless.
You both bring up the point that people will find ways to use their time to do other things besides work, regardless of whether they have access to social media. It is also interesting because more people are working remotely at home. There are people where I work that range from working at home 1 to 2 days a week to full time. Depending on the person, working from home can also offer up a whole different set of distractions. Furthermore, people can use their social media and not have anyone around to witness this occurring. However, there has been a study done that shows how working from home can be productive for some companies and employees: https://hbr.org/2014/01/to-raise-productivity-let-more-employees-work-from-home. If more people are allowed to work from home, companies could have an even harder time monitoring their employees’ use of social media.
DeleteHi Allison,
DeleteThanks for sharing the article - it was very interesting and brings a whole new element into this discussion.
These stats were particularly interesting to me, "we found that people working from home completed 13.5% more calls than the staff in the office did—meaning that Ctrip got almost an extra workday a week out of them. They also quit at half the rate of people in the office—way beyond what we anticipated. And predictably, at-home workers reported much higher job satisfaction." (Bloom 2014, para 3)
With numbers like these and an uptick in positivity, I wonder if more companies will be more open to working from home opportunities?
I am not sure if all companies will be able to move towards having their employees work from home, but I am noticing it to be a trend in certain arenas. Like I mentioned earlier, we have a physical office in Tarrytown, but we now have a lot of other employees that do not work at the office and are more spread out throughout the country. At this time, I have coworkers in Boston, Maryland, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and San Francisco. I think it is sometimes hard to have people remote because our office is partly set up to have people on site. For example, we have a routing process, where our different teams, such as graphics and editorial, need to see different pieces that we produce, like an invitation. All of this routing happens through a folder that gets passed from person to person. We do not currently have a convenient electronic process, so it makes it harder for those who do not work in the office. On the other side, it makes it easier for us to have business in other places because we already have people in those areas and may be able to spend less money on travel, etc.
DeleteI have also seen a trend towards moving back into the office. For example, Yahoo employees had been asked to stop working from home so that they could collaborate with each other more easily. Take a look at the memo that was leaked: http://www.businessinsider.com/yahoo-working-from-home-memo-2013-2. Part of me thinks that it is not only a way to bring people together, but to also monitor them more closely, in terms of things like their social media usage or time spent running errands or watching their kids.
Allison,
DeleteI love your post about working from home - you bring up a fantastic point! Whether it is social media, laundry at home or gossiping in the hallways - I think that the social media at work policy can be boiled down to one main point: you either trust your staff to get their job done, and do a good job at it - or you don't. Whether social media is involved or not, if you do not feel comfortable in your employees' efforts or performance - there is a larger problem that may need to be evaluated. As you state, especially in the professional arena, there are unlimited opportunities for distraction and interrupted productivity. Management just needs to be sure they are hiring staff they can trust, and that they are getting the job done to the company standards. Thank you for adding that idea to the conversation!
Hi Jordan,
ReplyDeleteYou mention that companies allow a certain allotment of Internet usage to their employees per day. How did organizations actually implement this? I assume it depends upon the job because many professionals are on the Internet for most of the day. It would be difficult to block people from their social media sites and then only open those sites for specific times during the day. As Debra mentions below, mobile devices completely changed the game and made blocking the Internet to social media sites pointless.
From what I can see when I take a quick look in Google, there seems to have been a lot of activity in terms of banning social media sites from 2009 to 2013. Since then, social media has become more accepted in the workplace because companies are seeing some of the advantages. Take a look at this article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141024133631-36714090-should-companies-ban-social-media-at-work.