Businesses today have more considerations than businesses of yesterday, particularly as it applies to technology. More and more, businesses are working to understand social media, and how it fits into the workplace; beyond that, leaders must manage their company’s reputation, presence, and employee behavior. Clark Hill’s attorneys and professionals offer training, social media policy development, and application review for our clients. There are new facets of social media emerging on a regular basis, and understanding and having policies in place to deal with them is of the utmost importance.

When considering how to manage social media, there are two major concerns. The first is how your organization is represented online. The second is how your employees’ behavior and sharing practices can affect your reputation – online and off.

By hosting your own website, Facebook page, Twitter page, Yelp directory listing, blog, or other form of social media, you must ensure your information is reliable, accurate, and positively promoting your organization. You need a dedicated arm of your business to regularly monitor and update your information as well as ensure its accuracy and acceptability. It is also important to regularly monitor other websites where your information or name may appear.

As for employee behavior online, you must determine if you need a social media policy. Typically, the answer is yes. You need to provide parameters and guidelines for your employees so that confidentiality and protocol are not breached, and you are obligated to provide a useful and clear policy on how to behave online, with particular emphasis on personal versus company equipment. This is as important as having an employee handbook, and with tech-savvy individuals entering the workplace, there is a duty to provide them with your expectations and procedures.

Social Media can have both positive and negative implications for your company. Our Digital Risk Management team offers clients access to full service law firm, and can assist you with navigating this area. We regularly offer seminars, webinars, newsletters, and other value added- products to assist you with staying current, and up-to-date in this constantly changing environment.