Friend...Connection...Follower...Fired.
Businesses are running scared.
Twitter is driving the NFL to distraction. According to the New York Times, the Green Bay Packers have announced that players using Twitter during games, practices, or to report on team activities will be assessed heavy fines. The Miami Dolphins have all but outlawed Twitter. Who knew a tweet could do what a 290 pound lineman couldn't?
And the NFL is not alone. Consider...
- On January 21, 2009, the Associated Press reported that officials in Paramus, NJ suspended without pay an employee for posting allegedly racist comments on his Facebook page. He used his own computer and made the entry on his own time.
- In March, a Philadelphia Eagles employee lost his job over Facebook postings critical of the teams trade decisions.
- July saw the requested and accepted resignation of a NY government employee for some strongly worded postings critical of both President Obama and Professor Henry Louis Gates
Lest you think that social networking sites inspire fear in only the weak of heart, consider this: CNN reports that the United States Marine Corps have launched a full, frontal assault on social networking sites. According to a Marine Corps spokesman:
"These internet sites in general are a proven haven for malicious actors and content and are particularly high risk due to information exposure, user generated content and targeting by adversaries."
Businesses throughout the country and around the world are struggling to harness the marketing power...and contain the potential HR fallout...of social networking sites. As this plays out, and in view of the incredible and virtually untapped marketing potetion of these sites, I have a few recommendations:
- Develop written social networking site guidelines for your employees;
- Talk to your employees about your company's presentation to the outside world in the hope that you can make them part of the solution, rather than the problem;
- Review all employment contracts to ensure that your company can take proper disciplinary action against those who's postings cast you or your company in a negative light; and
- Make sure any Personnel Manuals or handbooks include both the Company's social networking site rules and a discussion of the possible ramifications of violating company guidelines.
