I recently did some work for a client that involved looking into recent Canadian legal cases dealing with employees that have been either fired or reprimanded for their conduct on social media platforms. I ended up using some of these cases as examples in an internal training program I developed for employees on “responsible digital engagement”. I thought I’d share a few of them with you today.
All five of these cases reinforce my firm belief that every employee of a modern organization should take the following five tips to heart:
- Read your existing policies related to values and ethics (especially if you don’t have any official social media engagement guidelines/policies in place).
- Be aware that employers can legally monitor your online behaviour on public channels 24/7. If it’s not your employer doing so, then some stranger likely is.
- Work under the assumption that all of your posts are public, even so-called “private” ones.
- If you wouldn’t be comfortable saying something in a packed room of people, don’t say it online.
- Use caution and good judgement. If you’re even slightly unsure as to whether or not something is kosher to post about, ask your HR rep or supervisor.