Press Coverage

Don’t think an employee social media policy and training is necessary? Think Again.

A South African real estate agent’s racist comment recently went viral, causing a wave of angry responses calling for the agent to be fired and vacate the country. The public backlash extended not only to the real estate agent, but also its employer. Numerous people posted online messages stating that they would never buy another property through a company that hired racists.

As a result, the company is not only losing valuable clientele but it is also being portrayed in a negative light which could severely impact the company’s reputation for years to come. Unfortunately, this not an isolated event as.

So, in light of this, what should employers be doing to guard against harmful employee social media conduct and the backlash that follows? According to Lexology, employers need to:

• Educate and train employees about the use, consequences, and risk of social media;
• Implement a social media audit when employees leave the company’s employ to ensure that the company is no longer tied to that employee in any way;
• Implement a social media policy that is easily accessible by all employees and referred to in the employees’ employment contract; and
• Consult a qualified social media lawyer to ensure all of the above are in line with the law and current legislation, and follow international best practice.

Solid advice, if you ask me. Especially the bit about consulting with a qualified social media lawyer ;)