Playing it Safe in the Social Media World

Rants about your boss or your job may have once been reserved for during after-work drinks at a bar, but employee gripes are now being voiced in the social media sphere.


Workplace complaints posted on popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace could get you fired, and often times not hired. Workers should still be wary about what they post on social media sites. About a quarter of employers recently surveyed had disciplined an employee for improper activities on social networking sites. If a worker posts something negative, and a manager finds it, he or she can legally be fired.


Now, how can you engage in online forums without losing your job?


1. Think before you post
Imagine if the comment you posted or tweeted will appear in the local newspaper. While that rule of thumb may sound extreme, it is a safe way to manage your content. On a social media site, the audience is unlimited, and the content is permanent. An employee may post one photo and quickly remove it, but someone could still archive the page or make a copy.


2. Be picky about who you friend
Only allow people you trust into your social network. Instead of casually accepting all the co-workers or managers who ask to friend you, be selective about who you allow to view your posts. Employees may forget who they let into their network and that could lead to problems later on.


3. Do it on your own time and computer
Try to limit your Facebook and Twitter activity to your personal computer. If you engage in problematic activity on the company property and time, this can provide the managers more leverage. Many employers and workplaces already ban the sites at the workplace to prevent social media spats from becoming an issue.


4. Watch what you post at home
Many workers are unaware that mentioning their company in a negative light on the internet -- even if it's done on personal time at home -- could lead to disciplinary measures. Many organizations have departments that monitor social media comments and photographs that pertain to the company.


5. Keep the dialogue positive
Social media can be a great way to foster conversations about an employee's recent promotion or a company event. But certain topics such as trade secrets should never be disclosed online.


6. Figure out privacy settings
Social media privacy settings may be tricky, but take the time to consider all the different settings. Implementing filters and grouping co-workers and bosses is recommended so that certain information does not reach everyone.


7. Learn your employee rights
Employees need to make the effort to understand corporate policy regarding the use social media at work and at home. However, most companies don't have such policies in place.