We all have a right to a personal life and employers should respect this.  However, there are a number of factors that we should take into account when using social media.

It isn’t the smartest thing to post, or have others post, information that isn’t good for you e.g. after a night out partying where you may be worse for wear (or in one case we’ve been involved with, informing your employer you are ill and unable to get out of bed when photo’s are displayed on your social media page showing you partying the night away!)

Always remember you are responsible for information you post.  One way of thinking about how you use social media is to ask yourself whether you would distribute the information to all staff where you work, would it be acceptable?  You should always manage your online information carefully e.g. only allow friends to have access.

Conversely, you cannot control what others post.  If others post negative information, talk to them about your concerns and ask that the post be removed.  Even if the person will not remove the post you can demonstrate that you have tried to take action as you are not happy being shown in a bad light, and discuss how easy it is for anyone to be caught at a moment in time and be presented in such a way.

Your performance in the workplace should not be judged on how you conduct yourself outside the workplace, as long as your actions do not bring the organisation into disrepute.  However, your reputation at work is important and you will need to manage this.  You should always remember that information posted may be viewed differently depending on your job.  Patterns of behaviour may be viewed as acceptable by others if you are employed in a lower level grade of job but not if you are a manager, for example there could be concerns about your judgement.

Many organisations are adding to their HR policies by including one on social media.  You should ensure you are fully aware of the details of such policies.

If you would like to discuss any aspect this HR article in more detail, please contact our HR consultants at info@connectivebusiness.co.uk