Employee Blogging is it a Corporate Image Issue ?
Your employees may well be writing blogs and blogging about what should be private as well as secret matters matters at your own hard earned business or workplace. These same “trusted ” employees may not even think that they are doing anything wrong or untoward.
Blogs are here , there and everywhere. Their growth in numbers and prevalence to say the least is almost sky-high. Yet who is minding the store .? Are your employees “blogging behind your back” ? about corporate secrets ?
It is easy today to blog . The costs are trivial , if not free of charge. The tools are easy. If you can write on a simple word processor then you can blog . Simple as that.
As an employer or consultant you need to be aware of the blogs and postings of current staff on the job , as well as former employees , who may well be disgruntled , and who even go by pseudonyms.
In order to protect your business from damaging employee blogs and to reduce the risk of falling to bloggers damaging content, the following steps would be advisable;
First, create an environment where information and ideas are freely exchanged in your organization. This will allow employees with personal issues and opinions to feel free to express them within the parameters of the organization. It would be much easier to deal with it here than when its goes to the web.
Most likely at this point , no one in H.R. or management has provided an official listing when it comes to the rules of the game concerning blogs and blogging by staff. How else are your staff to know. People do not always like rules but they sure like to know where they stand , what is allowed and what is not tolerated. At least there is a yardstick against which they can be measured .
At the very least have employees sign a waiver or non disclosure. This should be prepared properly with legal authorities , and should have a clear time line. Again its about clear rule and statements.
Blogs are a powerful tool in today’s business climate which can be used for good or bad. Remember it can only take one Blog entry to destroy your business image or customer base that took 20 years to develop and nature. Take responsible steps to embrace the culture and avoid the pitfalls.
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