Should
companies hold their employees responsible for what they post on social media?
“We are the generation of Social Media;
our biggest revolution is a Tweet of 140 characters.” – Sandra charmi Kassis
“New media is a term used to define all that is related
to the internet and the interplay between technology, images and sound. The definition
for New media changes daily and will continue to change” (http://www.newmedia.org). With all these new
technologies available to us, we have access to the internet 24 hours 7 days a
week. There are many platforms created on the internet for us to share
information, interact with other people and to vent our frustrations as well.
Ever since Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook, social
media has grown to just being a “dorm room toy to a boardroom tool”. HR
departments of various companies are now using social media to connect with
jobseekers. Sales departments are also using this tool to draw in clients. Social
media has become a serious business tool (http://www.forbes.com).
“There is a question of productivity of employees that
access Facebook and other social networking sites during office hours. Companies
are concerned about the reputation of business, the employer, as well as its
employees, as a result of the information published on these sites” (http://www.labourguide.co.za).
The United States of Americas National Labour Relations
Act of 1993 determined that employees who use social media to criticize their
employer or a co-worker are protected under the law if more than one employee
participates.” National Labour Relations Act of 1993 also
states that: - “Sec.
7. Employees shall have the right to
self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain
collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in
other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other
mutual aid or protection, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or
all such activities except to the extent that such right may be affected by an
agreement requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of
employment.” (http://socialmediatoday.com)
It
was reported on (http://jobsearch.about.com), that an employee of an unnamed
company had been suspended and the fired for her Facebook postings because she
went against the company’s internet policy. Although she had posted those
negative comments about her boss on her own personal page, on personal time,
the company prohibits its employees from depicting the company in any way on
the internet without permission.
It
is in the best interest of every company to create a Social Media Policy. Employees
should also realise that following company policy is of outmost importance. I believe
that as long as employees represent the company, their employer has the right
to hold the employee responsible for what they post on social sites. The individual
could misrepresent the company. It is important for the employee to not share
confidential company information as well as industry rumours. The PR department
should be incharge of handling such matters.
However,
if the employee posts comments (personal views/ opinions) about matters that
have nothing to do with the company, after working hours, on a person page,
then it should not be any of the company’s concern.
What
are your thoughts on this topic?
Video: fired over Facebook comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCH33TgK8Mw&feature=share&list=PL19CEC5E12963FC63
Sources Consulted
About.com.jobsearch. 2012. Fired for Facebook [online].
<Available>http://jobsearch.about.com/od/employeerights/a/fired-for-facebook.htm
[accessed: 09 March 2013]
Forbes. 2013. 5 ways social media will change the way you
work in 2013 [online]. <Available>http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/12/11/5-ways-social-media-will-change-the-way-you-work-in
[accessed: 10 march 2013]
Good reads. 2012. Quotes about social media (27 quotes) [online].
<Available>http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/social-media
[accessed: 08 March 2013]
Newmedia.org. 2013. What is new media? [Online]. <Available>http://www.newmedia.org/what-is-new-media.html
[accessed: 08 March 2013]
Social Media today. 2013. Why you can’t fire employees for complaining
on Facebook [online]. <Available>http://socialmedia.com/mike--alton/1247406/why-you-cant-fire-employees-
[accessed: 08 March 2013]
The South African Labour
Guide. 2013. Social Media: Guidelines on
the policy for employees using social media for business purposes [online].
<Available>http://www.labourguide.co.za/most-recent-publications/social-media
[accessed: 10 March 2013]
