In a move that garnered significant publicity, manufacturer Continental recently banned workers from using Snapchat and WhatsApp due to fears that confidential information could be leaked, and data protection laws breached through their use.
What many reports failed to mention was that this applied to the apps installed onto work phones, rather than being an attempt to prevent staff from using the apps on their personal devices.
Double-edged sword
However, in a digital age where smartphones enable billions of people to connect instantly across scores of platforms, social media is undoubtedly a double-edged sword.
In hours, if not minutes, a few words can destroy a companys carefully crafted branding strategy.
Think of HMV, where an employee live-tweeted about the mass firing of 60 staff members. Or solicitor Alexander Carter-Silk, who was publicly condemned by barrister Charlotte Proudman when he commented on her LinkedIn profile picture. Or what about Burberry tweeting what it thought was actor Dev Patel wearing one of its suits, when in fact it was actor Riz Ahmed, leading to accusations of race discrimination and a subsequent public apology?
Brain drain
In addition to the negative PR and damage to company reputation, employers are at risk if employees take to social media to bully others or to misuse confidential information.
There are also concerns that smartphones in the workplace drain productivity, leading to staff becoming distracted and making mistakes. A gossip laden WhatsApp conversation is likely to be more interesting than reviewing statistics on a computer.
However, on the flip side, its clear that social media brings a wealth of opportunities to organisations.
It allows staff to create relationships with each other and engage customers. Used well, it can generate positive publicity, and engaged staff can become brand advocates, boosting a companys reputation.
Get real
Banning social media is perhaps both unrealistic and undesirable, but managing its use by employees is essential.
Employers should ensure that they implement a robust, clear and legally-compliant social media policy that reflects their culture and brand.
Keeping abreast of developments in technology is also key, including identifying where risks lie, and ensuring that there is a strategy for addressing those risks. Who has access to company social media accounts, and can that access be changed if necessary? In the event of a media frenzy, how would this be managed?
Finally, having contracts of employment that contain confidentiality provisions and post-termination restrictions is also advisable.
Technology will not be disappearing, and the lines between work and personal life will only continue to become increasingly blurred.
Social media is a thing to be embraced. However, understanding and managing the risks from a legal and practical perspective are essential in order to avoid a PR disaster.
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CityAM
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