Nowadays, everyone uses social media in their daily life. Social media activity turns into a part of life. People love to share their daily activities on social media and also like to see others.
But, sharing confidential or inappropriate company information and anti-social activities on social media is an offense and can negatively impact your company’s fame. For this instance, you get punished and even lose your job.
If you are worried about and looking for answers to whether your employers can monitor employees’ social media activity and its legality, you are in the right place then.
Here I will describe these facts from both employers’ and employees’ perspectives so that you can understand what you need to do as an employer and employee. So, read this article precisely to know everything about monitoring employees’ social media activity by employers.
Let’s get started without further ado.
Yes, employers can monitor employees’ social media if the company builds any rules and policies for their employees using social media to protect them from harmful activities that can ruin the company’s reputation.
In order to assure that there is no harm occurring at work, businesses watch their employees. A professional company wants to be perceived as such.
Due to the established social media privacy regulations, employees may find themselves in serious trouble if they write hateful comments or damage the employer’s reputation for doing business.
Employers are prohibited from requesting or requiring that employees use their personal login information. Only if a potential legal matter related to their policy comes to light and necessitates immediate response should an employer be granted access to an account.
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Protecting both the company and the employees is the aim of every employer. Regulating social media uprisings may seem impossible, but employers and employees can feel secure with the proper standards and procedures.
Social media use is closely regulated for the benefit of both the business and the employee. Simply put, this ensures that both sides maintain professionalism when dealing with one another online.
Neither an employer nor an employee would want to see their co-worker spreading damaging gossip about the company.
Employers and employees prefer to keep their thoughts to themselves, especially when the work environment is so personal. It is crucial to implement a policy to ensure that all these things don’t happen so that, if they do, preventive measures are taken to deal with the problem.
Social media monitoring may assist a business in achieving success in various areas of the business with the proper rules and regulations in action.
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When employees post on personal social media accounts, such as Facebook or Twitter, they may not realize that their posts could reflect negatively on the company.
As a result of employee social media activity and posts, some critical issues are frequently encountered that are harmful to the company or business. For this instance, one needs to be aware of the disadvantages of using social media.
Here I will describe some disadvantages of using social media during working hours. Let’s take a look at these.
Here are the following issues that occurred to employees’ social media activity:
Decreases Productivity
Seventy-seven percent of employees confessed in the PEW research that they check social media at work. Social networking may be the main distraction and offer much-needed mental respite.
In addition to scheduled lunch and rest breaks, the typical employee uses social media for about 40 minutes daily. A team’s productivity would suffer significantly if those 40 minutes were multiplied by everyone.
Damages Reputation
Social media activity can damage a company’s reputation. But how? I am trying to explain the matter through a real example.
Because of social media activities, some employees lose their jobs. A well-known fast-food brand employee was discharged in 2017 after posting images of the restaurant’s dirty environment, including a floor that seemed to be covered in food, garbage, and grime.
After this happened, the business publicly reacted, saying the pictures did not reflect their dedication to providing customers with a protected and healthy environment. The damage had already been done, though.
Disclosure of Confidential Information
Sharing the company or business’s confidential information online creates a hugely damaging impact on business. Employees may disclose confidential information about their company or business on social networking sites either intentionally or accidentally.
Online employee complaints against their employer may unintentionally expose confidential data and information to rivals, seriously violating non-disclosure agreements.
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Employers should be aware of the online conversations their staff members have. Employers must be aware of how their staff conducts themselves while communicating with the public online.
There are several ways to monitor an employee’s social media activity, but any method an employer decides to use is done with responsibility. In this section, I will describe two effective ways to monitor employees’ social media activity. Let’s see.
Here are the methods of monitoring employees’ work and social media activity:
1. Computer Surveillance
Employers can monitor an employee’s social media usage on the computer through computer surveillance software. This system lets employers view what websites an employee uses, potentially see emails, and track the number of keystrokes per hour.
In the workplace, personal computing devices are not allowed. They can investigate the situation if an employer suspects an employee is accessing inappropriate websites.
If there are many keystrokes, they may search through the person’s workstation or find out why they haven’t been using their computer.
2. Company Equipment Surveillance
Employees given company-provided equipment can use it to access the internet, which their employer does not monitor. It can be a privacy risk, so many companies monitor employees’ online activities.
Employers use technology to monitor their employees’ online behavior. Employers may install software on computers, tablets, and smartphones to monitor what websites employees visit and what they write in emails.
Using web surveillance tools, employers can ensure that their employees maintain a professional image. It helps protect the company’s reputation and ensures that employees are acting professionally while at work.
Although no federal laws restrict employers from monitoring employees’ social networking activities, many companies use third-party companies or software to monitor online activity.
A company policy should clearly define acceptable behavior and whether the company will monitor access and usage at work.
As you create your social media policy, consider the following in mind:
- Be specific about what your employees can and cannot post on social media. Limit your employees’ posts to relevant ones about their work, but ensure they do not violate any of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) policies.
- Protect the company’s confidential data. Remind employees that sharing or discussing trade secrets is a crime, even if they are not malicious. It can be difficult, if not impossible, to completely remove something once it has been posted on the internet.
- Respect both local and national laws. Online conduct by employees is not permitted to be unlawful, discriminatory, or defamatory. Follow the development of national and state laws governing the use of social media at work.
- Educate and enforce your social media policy. Ensure all employees know what is prohibited and the consequences for violating company policies.
Employers have a range of opinions about the use of social media at work. Some draw clear lines around postings to corporate accounts on social media sites; others permit employees to post on personal accounts as long as such posts do not represent the company’s perspective.
It’s challenging to control the uses and monitor employees’ social media. Businesses may safely use the following five simple procedures to manage their workers’ social media use.
Let’s see the five best practices.
Here are the 5 best practices for monitoring employees’ social media:
- Encourage your employees to keep their personal and work accounts separate. It’s unsafe to combine accounts. Do not mix professional and personal matters; instead, maintain them separately.
- Create an environment in which employees feel safe to admit online mishaps. The importance of honesty and trust can be seen when employees are encouraged to confess their mistakes.
- Employees should not be asked to change their Facebook cover photos to promote the company. The Facebook terms of service prohibit using a personal profile for commercial gain.
- The rules on employers’ access to workers’ social media accounts are set out in most states. An employer can only access a worker’s social media account if it’s part of a formal investigation into workplace wrongdoing.
- Employees should be familiar with social media guidelines from the beginning of employment. Management should create accounts under the company’s name, manage logins, and oversee content posted.
Observing someone’s social media presence and discovering someone, in reality, might give the impression that they have two different lives.
It is possible for an employee to be at fault and, if things go out of hand, lose their job for participating in an improper activity that is not legal and does not align with the company’s values.
All of its personnel should share the goal and vision of an organization. A solid social media policy may potentially prevent situations from happening. However, they may occasionally occur.
Privacy laws do not allow employers to view personal information through emails. Still, it is possible, if need be, provided that the employer has a solid policy informing employees that no information sent or received on company equipment is private.
Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs)
Can employers control employees’ social media?
Yes, employers can monitor employees’ social media if the company builds any rules and policies for their employees using social media to protect them from harmful activities that can ruin the company’s reputation.
Can employers monitor social media actions even after employment?
Yes, employers can monitor employees’ social media even after employment. As long as an employee is involved with a company, the employee can monitor his social media activity.
Why do employers monitor employees’ social media?
Employers monitor employees’ social media to protect against sharing of confidential or inappropriate company information that can create negative impacts on the company’s reputation.
Can employees be disciplined for social media posts?
Of course, employees can be disciplined for social media posts creating or establishing official company policies for using social media.
Can my employer legally monitor my computer and Internet activities?
Yes, your employer can legally monitor your computer and Internet activities during the employee’s period.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to social media use at work, many employers have specific policies and guidelines in the workplace. A Pew Research study revealed that more than half of those surveyed said their employer had specific workplace policies and guidelines.
Using social media at the workplace and outside may create a various unethical issue which is detrimental to the company. So, employers and employees need to be aware to avoid any problems with social media.
Some of the effective company policies and practices mentioned in this post are to eliminate employees’ uncontrolled use of social media and the potential problems that arise from it.
That’s all for now. I hope you enjoyed and this post is helpful and insightful as well. Share with others to spread the information and knowledge.
Good Bye! Until next time.
