If one summer poolside conversation is anything to go by, there seems to be growing evidence of companies trying to ring-fence their organisations against the social media activity of their employees. It’s no longer simply just the odd high-profile, headline cases or instances of individuals being disciplined for posting sensitive content about their bosses, jobs or inferior cafeteria food. Nor is it about the use of company time for social networking. This is a wider spread, behind the scenes movement to restrict or clarify  employee social media activity (depending on your view-point)  via changes to employment contracts and the issuing of new conditions of service.

Mainstream

Sophie, an associate in a London-based consulting firm told me that she had recently been asked not to tweet on issues in the organisation’s geographic reach. As an international market leader, the activities of this company span many countries, so this was a significant restriction on what she considered to be her freedom of speech. An Account Manager who has been using LinkedIn for identifying prospects for business development purposes, has received a request from his manager to disconnect from these members. He was informed that the only information on the prospect should be on the company data base. An employee has also been asked to uncheck the options contact for career opportunities and job inquiries on his LinkedIn profile and to post a restricted career history.

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Catch up

The corporate world has always lagged behind the wider culture with regard to social media usage and as I predicted some time ago,  some sort of ” catch-up”  attempt was therefore inevitable. Employees can realistically expect to have the following conditions imposed on them in the forseeable future:

• Prohibition of the use of employer-related information in any kind of employee postings
• Restrictions on usage of social media sites during office hours using company hardware and systems
• Prohibition on the disclosure/use of any sensitive, proprietary, confidential or financial information about the business or its clients
• Prohibition of employee endorsement, direct or implicitly of the  organisation’s business in any statement or posting
• Prevention of engagement in conduct that would violate the employer’s other workplace policies, such as anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies
• Information relating to any disciplinary policies up to and including termination of employment for infractions or violations of company policy

Employees should:

• Never release the passwords of their social media accounts to third parties
• Always use a private email address rather than a business one for all social media contact if in any doubt about  how their social media activities will be perceived by their organisations
• Never block a connection on LinkedIn on the instructions of a superior. This action is irreversible and the connection may be needed later
• Discuss openly with any manager who requests a restriction on contact possibilities on a LinkedIn profile. Career opportunities, job inquiries, new ventures and business deals can also afford opportunities for the organisation, not just the individual.  It is also a personal profile so individuals should be able to present their career history in any way that doesn’t damage the business interests of their employer.

The rub of course lies in this final point and where the overlap of personal and corporate interests become hazy. Overall, the social media revolution represents a fundamental shift in the way we communicate and the value of the opportunities  is significant to all. What should be in place are measures that protect organisations and employees alike.

Have you been formally asked to restrict your social media activities via new conditions of service and employment? Please share your experience.