Pannone exposes social networking issues
EMPLOYERS across the North West should implement social networking policies at work to ensure that they do not put their reputation at risk.
Research carried out for Manchester-based law firm Pannone has revealed that 79% of employers did not have a social networking policy in place.
The survey of more than 100 HR directors also showed that a further 62% failed to actively manage their online reputation.
But 73% of those polled said that the biggest threat to their organisation from social networking sites was employee abuse – in terms of the amount of time spent on such sites or from posting inappropriate comments about the company or colleagues.
Employers were also concerned that encouraging the use of professional networking sites such as LinkedIn allowed staff to have easy access to the employer’s client base (18%).
Other business threats identified included breaches of confidentiality, customers putting bad reviews on websites, disclosure of key business knowledge, electronic security, giving competitors too much information and the time taken to actively manage social networking issues in the workplace.
The survey also revealed that, whilst 35% said that their business used social networking sites as a business development tool, almost two-thirds (62%) are putting their brand at risk by not effectively monitoring their online reputation.
Jim Lister, head of employment at Pannone, said: “Despite the huge potential for abuse from employees and external sources such as competitors, it is staggering that around four out of five employers still do not have a social networking policy in place.
““While every organisation has different risks there are a number of fundamental questions that need to be asked when formulating a social networking policy.”
Mr Lister said that all companies should ask themselves: whether they want to prevent any use of social networking at work or would they prefer to allow employees some access to social networking sites?
Additionally, what controls and limits do they want to impose on the use of such sites and do they want to prevent any mention of work on social networking sites?
For senior personnel, does the company wish to limit the public content of social networking sites to exclude anything that might bring the person into disrepute?
Mr Lister said that it is also important to consider whether a company’s social networking policy should be cross referenced with its disciplinary policy and what steps can be taken to ensure that bullying or harassment of colleagues on social networking sites is limited.
