The Secret to Turning Employees into Powerful Online Ambassadors
Chances are that, like the majority of adults in the country, your employees use social media. They probably have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and are registered at numerous other sites as well. These sites make it easy for anyone to share their emotions and express their
opinions about any subject they choose. If that subject happens to be related to their job and the business where they work, what do you think they might say? Would it be positive or negative? Is there any way you can control what they say online about your business?
Should You Create a Social Media Policy for Employees?
Some companies have chosen to create a social media policy for employees. They set restrictions ranging from banning any mention of the company to requiring them to identify themselves as an employee of the company if the business is mentioned at all. Such policies are now included in many company’s employee handbooks and used as a reputation management tool.
There are pros and cons to enforcing a company social media policy. On the pro side, employees are given a clear definition of what they may and may not say at social networking sites and the business is protected if an employee must be reprimanded for social media abuse.
On the con side, social media policies do restrict your employees’ freedoms and indicate that you don’t trust them.
Employees Can Help You Boost Your Online Reputation
Employees can be a terrific asset to your online reputation, but here’s a trick to making that happen: keep your employees happy. Pay them fairly, treat them with respect, and let them know you care about them. Satisfied employees will rarely knock you or your business online. In fact, just the opposite is usually true. Happy employees can be your most valuable online reputation management resource.
Does this mean you will never have a disgruntled employee? Certainly not. You can’t please everyone all the time. If you are a good employer, however, you’ll have an army of happy employees to blot out that one accusatory voice.
May 21, 2011

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