Training Your Workforce on Social Networking Etiquette

Perhaps it’s only a fad, but social networking is one of the hottest trends and not just among the typical trendsetting groups. College students, young professionals, actors, musicians, homemakers, grandparents, youngsters and plenty of others have created pages on social networks such as Facebook and Myspace. That includes people who work for you. You may not think you need a policy regarding online networking, but you may want to at least know the risks (and benefits) involved.

Whether it was embraced because of its ability to connect distant friends, to reunite old acquaintances or simply to provide a member with his online equivalent of “15 minutes of fame,” social networking has grown in popularity and it remains to be seen into what role it eventually settles. Even now, the network a person belongs to can provide an idea of what they expect to get out of it. For instance, LinkedIn caters to business networkers, where Facebook tends to be more social.

All of these networks have their pros and cons. Why network? The obvious answer is connections. Being connected and being in real-time contact certainly have their advantages. Need a technical question answered? Your connections on LinkedIn may provide a faster answer than your company’s tech support. Another advantage of this people-finding resource is that introductions come from people you know, and are therefore “vouched for.”

There are downsides as well. Some employees start out by using it as a tool, but like any new technology it can quickly become a source of distraction. And there are some bad guys out there with fake profiles, gleaning information for their own purposes.

If you do choose to allow networking, here are some guidelines to offer your employees:

1. Choose a respectable, if not professional, network. Not all networks are created equal. Choose wisely.
2. Keep your business and social networks separate. While it’s okay to include business contacts whom you know socially in your social network, do not add your buddies to your business network.
3. Know how to control who views your profile and that of your friends. If you have a facebook page from college that you don’t want seen by your business colleagues, know how to limit access to your pages. If a business associate finds your social page, simply send an add request to them from your business network.
4. Keep your business page professional, and use only for business purposes. Don’t join inappropriate groups or take other actions that put your employer – and your job or reputation – at risk.

While a complete ban on social networking in the workplace may be the prudent course of action for some employers, there are several advantages for who tread carefully.

For more information on related topics, see the resources below:

http://www.macworld.com/article/135165/2008/09/etiquette.html

http://social-networking-tagging.suite101.com/article.cfm/myspace_etiquette_tips

http://whitepapers.zdnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=337546&promo=539&tag=nl.e539&cval=wit2.zdnet&ctype=default

http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2008/jun/25slide1.htm

http://www.disruptiveconversations.com/2007/07/updating-netiqu.html