Social media are with us all the time. Surely, you too share sometimes your thoughts or pictures with your close friends or colleagues. There is nothing wrong with it, as long as these "little sins" committed in the social media do not reflect on our professional image. What should you remember during every day activities on the Internet?
Make a division between private and professional social media
The most popular professional social media portals are LinkedIn and GoldenLine. Undoubtedly, in the case of these services we become "friends" with our co-workers, supervisors, clients, people we met during business events etc. There are of course no contraindications in adding also close friends to our list of contacts. You should only pay attention to the messages published on these websites. You should limit the content you place on these websites to professional mattes or interesting pieces of business news. Private content is definitely out of place.
And what about social media which you use often, and which are considered as completely private? Well, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media it is worth to set appropriate private settings, so the people with whom you do not want to share details of your private life, could not use such information for professional purposes. Publishing neutral announcements constitute an alternative, in accordance with the principle that if you do not think that you can say/show something in front of everyone – keep it to yourself.
The other crucial matter relates to reasonable adding or accepting invitations from other users. If we want to upload content without any restrictions, it is better to avoid consequences resulting from the fact that strangers can see them.
To invite or not to invite?
Maybe it is worth to think beforehand, if there are social media where having not very close friends on your list would be "harmless". The above-mentioned LinkedIn or GoldenLine are almost completely neutral portals. If you wonder whether to invite your supervisor, consider the atmosphere at work and the relations between employees of different levels of hierarchy.
The situation is different when it comes to making friends with co-workers. Of course, in the case of close friends, it is normal that we want to stay in touch with them. One should think twice about inviting colleagues with whom we are not very close.
Social media policy – what is it?
Social media policy is a policy of a company which constitutes a set of rules which are given to company's employees. It contains suggestions on employee's activities on the Internet, especially on commenting matters which relate strictly to a work place. What else the Social Media Policy may contain?
- How should an employee speak out about the company? What kind of language an employee should use? What kind of information cannot be published via social media by employees?
- What kind of private content should not be published by employees, since it can have an impact on company's image? What kind of pictures uploaded by your employees should not be available in social, public circulation?
If your company does not regulate the employees' activities on the Internet, rely on your sound judgement. By working for someone, you are becoming their ambassador, so think about it also after working hours.
Attempt to limit your freedom of speech
Do not consider the above as an attempt to limit your freedom of speech. Nowadays, one should not forget that what once posted on the Internet stays there forever, and that by having a long list of friends on the social portals one does not stay anonymous and unpunished. Also, on the Internet, one should be prepared to take responsibility for words or content posted there.