Many Firms Find Social Media Workplace Misuse Problematic: Study

Of 120 employer respondents, 43.4 percent said social media network misuse has been an issue for them, and 31.3 percent said they have had to take disciplinary action against an employee because of misuse, according to the survey.

For more on this article, click HERE.

HR and Technology: Social Media Sniffers

Social media is becoming more prevalent in the workplace.  If it isn't an employee updating their Facebook status, they are going home to blog about what happened at work (and sometimes not waiting until they go home to blog).  And while employers are utilizing software and blockers to prevent employees from doing this on company time, it isn't stopping employees - who simply pull out their smart phones and do it anyway.

Here is an interesting article about human resources and the technological obstacles presented by social media.  It is well worth the read:  Article.

Human Resources and Social Media Seminar

HR Balance LLC's Jack McCallum is presenting another seminar through Whatcom Community College's Continuing Education program.

Spotlight on HR: Managing Cyber/Technology Issues in the Workplace

Are your personnel policies and procedures up-to-date with the demands and challenges of today's cyber-world? As technology makes the world far more accessible, employers must contend with increased privacy, confidentiality, and proprietary concerns. Learn what your policies should cover to address smart technology, cyber communications, and social media as they impact the workplace.
Cost:  $45
Date/Time:  April 21, 2011   |   9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location:  WCC - Foundation - 201C

To register for this seminar, click HERE.

Samples Social Media Policies for Employers

Social media is becoming an increasingly prevalent aspect in people's lives - regardless if it is their personal life or professional life.  And, let's face it... In more cases than not, those lines between personal and professional have been blurred.  Employers need to ensure they have the appropriate policies in place to limit potential vulnerabilities presented by social media.  Here is a list of sample social media policies...

• Electronic Frontier Foundation How to Blog Safely about Work:  http://www.eff.org/wp/blog-safely
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation:  http://www.insidethecbc.com/bloggingrules
• Harvard Law School Blogs Terms of Use:  http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/terms-of-use/
• Sun Guidelines on Public Discourse:  http://www.sun.com/communities/guidelines.jsp or http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/blogs/BloggingGuidelines.pdf
• GM Motors Blogging Policies:  http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/about.html
• Media companies: For Journalists entering into public debate:  http://rhetorica.net/policy.htm
• IOC Olympic Athletes Blogging Policy:  http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_1296.pdf (PDF)
• BBC Staff Editorial Guidelines Personal use of Social Networking and other third party websites:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/advice/personalweb/blogging.shtml
• Cisco’s Internet Postings Policy:  http://blogs.cisco.com/news/comments/ciscos_internet_postings_policy/
• IBM’s Social Computing Guidelines:  http://www.ibm.com/blogs/zz/en/guidelines.html
• Dell’s Online Communication Policy:  http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/policy/en/policy?c=us&l=en&s=corp&~section=019
• Yahoo’s Personal Blog Guidelines for staff:  http://jeremy.zawodny.com/yahoo/yahoo-blog-guidelines.pdf
• Intel Social Media Guidelines:  http://www.intel.com/sites/sitewide/en_US/social-media.htm
• Greteman Group Blog Social Media Policy:  http://gretemangroup.com/blog/index.php/2009/01/social-media-policy/
• United States Airforce “new media and the airforce”:  http://www.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090406-036.pdf (pdf file)
• US Navy very formal PDF:  http://www.doncio.navy.mil/PolicyView.aspx?ID=789
• DePaul University: http://brandresources.depaul.edu/vendor_guidelines/g_socialmedia.aspx
• Hewlett Packard Blogging Code of Conduct:  http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/blogs/codeofconduct.html
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations Social Media Guidelines:  http://www.cipr.co.uk/socialmedia/
• Hill and Knowlton’s Public Relations Pledge for Bloggers:  http://armadgeddon.blogspot.com/2007/09/h-pledge-for-bloggers.html
• Feedster’s Corporate Blogging Policy:  http://feedster.blogs.com/corporate/2005/03/corporate_blogg.html
• UK Public Service I Am A Civil Servant:  http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/work/codes/participation-online.aspx
• Gartner’s PUBLIC WEB PARTICIPATION GUIDELINEShttp://blogs.gartner.com/gartner-public-web-participation-guidelines/.
• Thomas Nelson Blogging Policy:   http://michaelhyatt.blogs.com/workingsmart/2005/03/corporate_blogg_1.html
• Plaxo’s Communication (Blogging) Policies:  http://blog.plaxoed.com/2005/03/29/plaxos-communication-policy/
• About.com generic ones:  http://humanresources.about.com/od/policysamplesb/a/blogging_policy.htm
• LiveWorld Social Media Content Guidelines:  http://socialvoice.liveworld.com/blog-entry/Bryan-Persons-Blog/Creating-Social-Media/1100000608
• The Blogging Church:  http://www.leaveitbehind.com/home/2005/04/fellowship_chur.html
• Walker Art New Media Initiatives wiki:  ttp://newmedia.walkerart.org/nmiwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WalkerBlogGuidelines
• Telstra 3Rs GuardRail:  http://www.nowwearetalking.com.au/library/pdf/news/social-media-company-policy_final_150409.pdf
• Australian Public Service (Gov) protocols for online media participation:http://www.apsc.gov.au/circulars/circular088.htm
• New Zealand Government Principles for interaction with Social Media:  http://www.ssc.govt.nz/display/document.asp?DocID=7160
• ParticipatoNZ wiki:   http://www.e.govt.nz/policy/participation/guide-to-online-participation.html

Social Media & The Employer Test | Bellingham HR Consultant

Increasingly employers are using social media venues to screen their employees and potential hires.  They use it as a means to not only verify information the employee/hiring candidate shared, but also to ensure they aren't been misrepresented on the internet.  Some of the key things employees and potential employees should keep in mind when posting to social media venues is:

• What are your privacy settings? Can anyone see what you've posted?  If you have your privacy settings on "High," it limits the potential for an employer to have a peek at what you've posted.  But, it typically doesn't limit those who are on your friends list.  So review your settings, and make sure you are comfortable with who sees what.
• Who do you "friend?" Is it only personal friends and family? Co-workers? Your boss?  As mentioned earlier, even if your privacy settings limit outsiders from having a peek, it doesn't limit insiders.  Those you are friends with can easily access your information.  So, if your co-workers and boss are on your lists it means they can access your information.  It also means your employer has another way of accessing you.
• What photographs have you posted?  Do you really think a potential employer is going to still over you that job when you've got photos of you attached to a beer bong posted all over Facebook? Think again.  Filter! Filter! Filter!  While some photos might be funny to friends and family, it could cause your employer and/or a potential employer to think twice.
• Status updates... I've seen employees who have called in sick at work, post status updates to their social media accounts that definitely did not support their "I have the flu" excuse for not reporting to the job. 

While the internet and social media have opened up a lot of opportunities for people - making this world of ours a lot smaller and people more accessible - it has also created a fishbowl effect.  What was once considered private is no longer off-limits - even for your employer.  So be cautious and pay attention.