Social Media's Influence on Employee Conduct: A Management Perspective

This discussion board post explores the complex relationship between social media and employment. The author argues that employers should be concerned about what employees post online, even on personal accounts, because such content can significantly impact the company's reputation. The post highlights how social media can quickly spread information, potentially leading to misunderstandings or reputational damage for the company. It also points out that employees may inadvertently reveal confidential information about the organization. The author supports their argument by citing the potential for negative publicity and the importance of employee behavior aligning with the company's values. The post concludes that employers should establish clear social media policies to guide employee conduct and protect the company's interests.

Argue your position concerning the following statement:
"It shouldn't matter to employers what you post online through personal sites
(Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), your business life is separate from your personal
one".
Support your answer with evidence.
Employees are often termed as the face of the company and are representatives of the
organisation. Thus, their actions and words could largely impact the reputation of the
organisation. Employees should be careful about what they post on social media, as the same
can be misconstrued to be the views of the employers, if it is a controversial topic and bring
bad name upon them (Workplacefairness.org, 2020). Social media has the power of spreading
rumours very fast. Thus, any irresponsible post, even though done after office hours could put
the employers in a bad light in the public eye. Further, if the employees post any confidential
information about the organisation on the social media, the same can jeopardize the
achievement and success of the employers (Burton, D. (2010). Thus, the employers should be
careful and formulate policies which will mandate employees to be cautious of the things
they post on social media.

References
Burton, D. (2010). Labor & Employment: FTC Regulation on the Use of Endorsements and
Testimonials: What Employers Need to Know. [online] Williamsmullen.com. Available at:
https://www.williamsmullen.com/sites/default/files/wm-url-files/Labor-06-04-2010-
Testimonials.pdf [Accessed 6 Feb. 2020].
Workplacefairness.org. (2020). Social Networking & Computer Privacy - Workplace
Fairness. [online] Available at: https://www.workplacefairness.org/social-network-computer-
privacy-workplace [Accessed 6 Feb. 2020].