Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media Policy for Sunshine 100

This report evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of using social media and the relation of the same with employee behavior. It also discusses the essentials of social media policy and communication strategy for Sunshine 100.

Running Head: Business Law 0
Management Communication
1/16/2019
Student’s Name

Management Communication 1
Contents
Memo...............................................................................................................................................2
Advantages and Disadvantages of use of Social Media 2
Impact of employee behavior on the Organization’s brand 3
Essentials of Social Media Policy 3
Communication Strategy 4
Conclusion 5
PowerPoint Presentation..................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................8

Management Communication 2
Memo
To: Paul Morgan, CEO, Sunshine 100
From: Jane Wilson, Director of Social Media
Date: 16 January 2019
Subject: Sunshine 100’s Social Media Policy
As the name implies, Social media policy let the officers and employees of the company know
about the best suitable manner in which they are required to use social media while acting on
behalf of the organization. The purpose of the report is to evaluate the advantage and
disadvantages of using social media and the relation of the same with employee behavior. In
order to prevent the unnecessary or inappropriate use of social media, the development of social
media policy is mandatory for Sunshine 100.
Advantages and Disadvantages of use of Social Media
Use of social media in the workplace does not always bring the negative impacts. An
organization can experience many advantages by using social media. One of the greatest
advantages of using social media is that the same helps an organization in recruitment. By
posting the job vacancy online, an entity can reach to candidates that are more talented
(Shrm.org, 2018). Further, social media also bring positive impacts on employer brand when the
same post and share news about the company values and employee events. In addition to this,
use of social media proves beneficial in the events of emergency. This is the easiest and fastest

Management Communication 3
mode to reach up to many people. It also develops professional networking (Gaurav & Dheer
2017). Nevertheless, using social media is not always in favor of the company, as the same also
lead to some negative impacts as well. The lead disadvantage of using social media for business
is breach of security. In the world full of technology and hacks, it is very easy to get the sensitive
business information of an organization by a third party. Further, sometimes, disagreed or
dissatisfied employees of the organization post negative thoughts about the employer, which
demolish the reputation of employer and influence the business of the organization. In
conjunction with this, many of the times, employees do not consider the legal provisions related
to use of social media and post anything on a public platform. This gives birth to the issue of
violation of legal provision and organization has to bear the losses of the same.
Impact of employee behavior on the Organization’s brand
When an employee uses social media, the same is required to use this medium of communication
in an appropriate manner. Any post or comment of an employee can lead the adverse impact on
the reputation of an employer. There is always a possibility that an employee can share the
business-related information or any other sensitive information of an employer on social media.
Posting of such information cannot only bring a positive impact on the business of the company
but can also reduce the reputation of the same. As social media is an open platform, such
information can reach up to unintended audiences that also includes competitors of the
organization. Sunshine 100 also faced the same issue in the lack of proper social media policy.
Essentials of Social Media Policy
After looking the disadvantages of the use of social media, one can easily understand the
significance of the social media policy. However, this is to state that only existence of such
policy is not enough but the same must be effective. Further to say that there are some factors

Management Communication 4
which necessarily needs to be there in order to make a social media policy effective. These
factors are mentioned below:-
 Permissions and prohibitions: - An employer must inform to the employee that in which
sectors use of social media is allowed and in which the same is disallowed.
 Legal requirements: - A social media policy must cover the rules and regulations that an
employee needs to consider while using social media (Taylor 2015).
 Penalties: - Social media policy must cover the consequences of the breach of such
policy and must include the penalties that an employee will be held liable for.
Communication Strategy
A communication strategy can be understood as an organizational tool. This strategy defines the
way of internal as well as external communication. This is to state that only development of
social media policy is not enough but the communication of the same to employees is equally
important. A social media policy can be communicated to the employees in several ways (Miller
2011). After reviewing the whole circumstances of Sunshine 100, this is to say that the same is
required to be followed:-
1. Timing- Working hours
2. Audience- Employees of the organization
3. Sender- Communication Manager
4. Key Message- Need of social media policy and expectations from employees
5. Desired Outcome- Positive and appropriate use of policy
6. Medium- Via E-mails and communication at the meeting
7. Materials- Code of ethics

Management Communication 5
8. Frequency- Every six month.
Conclusion
After reviewing the aforesaid discussion, this is to conclude that the use of social media at the
workplace shed advantages as well as disadvantages. For Sunshine 100, the existence of social
media policy is far significant, as the same will regulate the irregular behavior of employees.
Further, this is also required for Sunshine 100 to review the style of employees using social
media on a timely basis. This will prevent the issues of inappropriate use of social media.

Management Communication 6
PowerPoint Presentation

Management Communication 7

Management Communication 8

Management Communication 9

Management Communication 10
References
Aig.Co.Uk. n.d., Employee misuse of social media, viewed 16 January 2019,
<https://www.aig.co.uk/content/dam/aig/emea/united-kingdom/documents/Financial-lines/
PrivateEdge/epl/mpe-thought-leadership-epl-social-media.pdf>.
Gaurav, K & Dheer, S. 2017, Social Media Usage Behavior of Working Professionals, GRIN
Verlag, India.
Henry, T. n.d., The 12 ingredients of an effective social media policy, viewed 16 January 2019,
<http://www.worklogic.com.au/employment-policies/12-ingredients-effective-social-media-
policy/>.
Johansson, M 2015 8 Reasons Your Organization Must Have a Social Media Policy, viewed 16
January 2019, <https://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/8-reasons-your-organization-must-
have-social-media-policy-0>.
Miller, J 2011 How to Use Social Media Policies: Communicating and Training Your
Employees, viewed 16 January 2019, < https://workology.com/part-4-how-to-write-social-media-
policies/>.
Persuit, J., M. (2013) Social Media and Integrated Marketing Communication: A Rhetorical
Approach. UK: Lexington Books.
Searchcompliance.techtarget.com n.d., Social Media Policy. viewed 16 January 2019,
<https://searchcompliance.techtarget.com/definition/social-media-policy>.

Management Communication 11
Shrm.org n.d., Social Media: What are the pros and cons of using social media in the
workplace? What should we include in a policy, viewed 16 January 2019,
<https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/
socialnetworkingsitespolicy.aspx>.
Taylor, C 2015, Five elements of a strong social media policy, viewed 16 January 2019,
<https://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/five-elements-of-a-strong-social-media-policy-
209886.aspx>.