Creating a Social Media Corporate Policy
Posted by Jessica Dennis on Tue, Jul 14, 2009 @ 07:22 AM
Whether a business is deciding to move into the social media sphere or not, corporate policy surrounding social media use for employees is a hot topic in the months to come. If the last year has taught us anything at all, it’s that social media isn’t going to go away and sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are only going to grow as emerging communications channels. It is in every organizations best interest to think about these policies today and establish guidelines around them.
Where does an organization begin when creating an internal social media policy? Here are some steps to get you started:
1.) Communications policies: Because these tools are communications channels, start by looking at your current communications policies. What policies are already in place for e-mail, Internet use, etc.? As a starting point, build from these policies and incorporate social media into the existing guidelines.
2.) Keep it positive: Just like a company handbook for new employees, keep policies on the positive side. Your handbook sets the tone of the culture of the company. You wouldn’t want to start your first day at a company reading about your last day, so make sure your policies are positive and empower employees to make smart choices. Encourage responsible use of sites like Facebook and Twitter. If done correctly, you will have an entire force of brand ambassadors.
3.) Access: Determine when employees can access the social Web and which sites your company will allow employees to access at work. Don’t block sites that you are using to talk about your products and services. If you have a video on YouTube you want your employees to be able to access it. Make sure your access policies are fair for all employees. If you only want employees to access the social Web during their lunch hour, make sure all employee shifts are taken into consideration.
4.) Provide on-going training: New questions and concerns are bound to arise. Stay at the forefront by providing on-going training and a forum for employees to ask questions. Position your company as a thought leader and ahead of the curve by helping to educate employees about emerging platforms while at the same time providing guidance.
These are just a few steps to get started. Questions are sure to come up once you begin digging in and creating social media corporate policies. But addressing them on the front end will save your company many headaches in the future. Research articles online and see what other companies are doing. Overall, remember that if empowered correctly, your employees can be your best promoters.