The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge. Bold statement from Stephen Hawking. The greatest danger of participating in online social media? Just like Stephen Hawking says … it is the illusion of knowing what you are doing. And that can be very dangerous, yes? Therefore we believe it is critical to provide guidance to all employees by means of a social media employee handbook.
Here we create a social media policy handbook draft for your consideration.
Every day, people discuss and debate our company and brand in online conversations. We recognize the vital importance of participating in these online conversations and are committed to ensuring that we participate in online social media with excellence. This Social Media Policy and Employee Guide has been developed to help empower employees to participate in this new marketing and communications, represent our company, and to share the optimistic and positive spirits of our brand.
This guide is intended to outline how consumers should be engaged in the online social media space and to guide your participation, both when you are participating personally, as well as when you are acting on behalf of the company. We encourage all employees to explore and engage in social media communities at a level at which they feel comfortable. Have fun, but be smart. The best advice is to approach online worlds in the same way we do the physical one – by using sound judgment and common sense, by adhering to our values, and by following our Code of Business Conduct.
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Know that the Internet is permanent
Once information is published online, it is essentially part of a permanent record, even if you “remove/delete” it later or attempt to make it anonymous. If your complete thought, along with its context, cannot be squeezed into a character‐restricted space (such as Twitter), provide a link to an online space where the message can be expressed completely and accurately.
Social media policy … keep records
It is critical to keep records of interactions in the online social media space and monitor the activities of those with whom we engage. Because online conversations are often fleeting and immediate, it is important for you to keep track of them when you’re officially representing the company.
Remember that online company statements can be held to the same legal standards as traditional media communications. Keep records of any online dialogue pertaining to the company and your social media engagement?
Remember that local posts can have wide significance
The way that you answer an online question might be accurate in some parts of the world, but inaccurate (or even illegal) in others. Keep that “worldview” in mind when you are participating in online conversations.
Social media rules for employees … don’t share business confidential information
Do not publish, post, or release information that is considered confidential or not public. If it seems confidential, it probably is. Do not discuss numbers and other sales figures (non-public financial or operational information), strategies and forecasts, legal issues or future promotions/activities. Do not post any merchandise pricing information or comparisons.
When in doubt, do not post
Employees are personally responsible for their words and actions, wherever they are. As online spokespeople, you must ensure that your posts are completely accurate and not misleading.
Exercise sound judgment and common sense, and if there is any doubt, DO NOT POST IT. In any circumstance in which you are uncertain about how to respond to a post, ask someone responsible for social media and communications.
Never hesitate to ask anytime.
Social media agreement for employees … be responsible for your work
The company understands that employees engage in online social media activities at work for legitimate purposes and that these activities may be helpful for the business.
However, the business encourages all employees to exercise sound judgment and common sense to prevent online social media sites from becoming a distraction at work.
Give credit where credit is due and don’t violate others’ rights
DO NOT claim authorship of something that is not yours. If you are using another party’s content, make certain that they are credited for it in your post and that they approve of you utilizing their content. Do not use the copyrights, trademarks, publicity rights, or other rights of others without the necessary permissions of the authors.
Be mindful that you are representing the business
As a representative of the business, it is important that your posts convey the same positive, optimistic spirit that the company instills in all of its communications. Be respectful of all individuals, races, religions, and cultures; how you conduct yourself in the online social media space not only reflects on you – it is a direct reflection on the company.
Fully disclose your affiliation with the company
The business requires all employees who are communicating on behalf of the company to always disclose their name and their affiliation. It is never acceptable to use aliases or otherwise deceive people.
State your relationship with the Company from the outset, e.g., “Hi, I’m Mike Schoultz and I work for Digital Spark Marketing.” This disclosure is equally important for any agency/vendor/partner/third party who is representing the company online. They must disclose that they work “with Digital Spark Marketing Agency.”
Follow the Code of Business Conduct and all other company policies.
Our Code of Business Conduct provides the foundation for these Online Social Media Principles: “As a representative of [the Company], you must act with honesty and integrity in all matters.”
This commitment is true for all forms of social media. In addition, several other policies govern your behavior as a Company spokesperson in the online social media space, including the Information Protection Policy and the Insider Trading Policy.
Be a “scout” for compliments and criticism
Even if you are not an official online spokesperson for the company, you are one of our most vital assets for monitoring the social media landscape.
If you come across positive or negative remarks about the brand online that you believe are important, consider sharing them by forwarding to your marketing organization.
Let the subject matter experts respond to negative posts
You may come across negative or disparaging posts about the company or brand, or see third parties trying to spark negative conversations.
Unless you are a certified online spokesperson, avoid the temptation to react yourself. Pass the post(s) along to company spokespersons that are trained to address such comments.
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Be conscious when mixing your business and personal lives
Online, your personal and business personas are likely to intersect. The business respects the free speech rights of all of its employees, but you must remember that customers, colleagues, and supervisors often have access to the online content you post.
Keep this in mind when publishing information online that can be seen by more than friends and family, and know that information originally intended just for friends and family can be forwarded on. Remember to be aware that taking public positions online that are counter to the business’s interests might cause conflict.