A Social Media Bill of Rights—and Wrongs

"Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press," so says our Bill of Rights. But what about employers? Should a boss be able to regulate an employee's blog or his posts on a social networking site? How can a company balance the importance of sharing ideas through open exchange with the dangers of having an employee saying something stupid? Maybe it is time for your company to have a Social Media Bill of Rights and Wrongs.

A survey of how several companies have chosen to handle their employees' use of social media indicated that the policies that are most effective are the ones that combine having trust in and putting responsibly on the employees. This strategy works because no good employee is going to want to see their company tank and leave them without a job. Good employees are discerning enough to not intentionally bad-mouth their employer, so a social media strategy needs to focus on things that can help prevent inadvertent harmful posts.

Here is a compendium of ideas your company may wish to consider when outlining a social media policy:

• Employees ought to follow existing laws. This would include respect for copyrights, no plagiarized posts, no obscene language, slander, or libelous statements.

• Employees should put a disclaimer in their profiles that clearly states that the opinions expressed are their own views and not necessarily those of the company.

• Time spent on social media should not interfere with other job-related tasks and commitments.

• Employees should post as if their boss will read it—and bosses ought to be encouraged to spot check their employees' posts. This will cut two ways—obviously it will reduce insulting and disparaging statements, but it should also help keep excessive flattery and sycophantic remarks in check.

• Employees should respect the privacy of clients and customers. Do not discuss them in posts without their permission.

• The employer needs clear communication with the employees about what constitutes confidential and proprietary information. Employees who have not been privy to managerial meetings may not have the big picture or know where the boundaries lie unless their bosses have taken the time to teach this.

• Encourage the Golden Rule of treating others the way you want to be treated.

Social Media: The New Word of Mouth

I recently came across another blog that spoofed a Human Resources robot, claiming that the HRbot would 'spider' all your tweets and social networking info each time you apply for a job. It may have been meant as satire, but there was a kernel of truth in it.

Major—and minor—businesses are posting their company profiles on social media and using them for recruiting new employees. During the hiring process, it is likely that any personal profiles that an applicant may have on the web will be searched. It is not so much that a potential employer is interested in the size of your mob in Mobsters, or how many potatoes you've harvested in Farmtown. It is more that these social networking sites can offer a window into the kind of community that you choose to belong to and provide a fuller picture of who they might be hiring.

The jury is still out on whether tweeting for work is the wave of the future or a passing fad. In the here and now, it is the new word of mouth. Most of the best jobs are filled on the basis of personal word-of-mouth recommendations. The thing to remember is that it works both ways.

With social media such as LinkedIn, which was set up for the purpose of business networking, members expect others to scrutinize their profile. But what about friend networks like MySpace and Facebook? If you are looking for a job, there is a fair chance that the person looking at your application will be looking for your social media profile.

If there really was a spider HRbot, would you get caught in its web?