How Do You Control What Employees Say In Social Media?

The short answer is: you don’t.

Trying to control what your employees say or do outside the workplace is obviously impossible. But that does not mean you are helpless before the power of social media and its potential effects for good or ill on your business. The thing to remember is social media is merely a communications tool — no different than word of mouth. It simply has an ability to be seen by mass audiences very quickly.

I had the chance to learn what some of the top companies are doing in regards to employee use of social media at a recent meeting of the Social Media Club of Detroit. The takeaway: control is impossible, but asking your employees to be considerate and thoughtful is very doable.

Mary Henige, director of  media & digital communications for General Motors, said during the meeting that managers need to trust employees to do what is right. She issued a low-key policy this year asking GM employees to exercise good judgment and restraint in their various social media communications. This was not prompted by any controversies, but was done to establish some ground rules for the “wild West” that is today’s Internet.

In a sense, such policies are little different than the ages-old unspoken rule that one should not talk ill of their employer. It’s simply a bad idea for one’s own continued longevity at a company. But a written, yet congenial, policy for conduct on social media sites that merely serves as a reminder of what is considered good conduct can go a long way.

I urge you to consider that social media can be a powerful tool for positively promoting your company’s goods and services, corporate citizenship, community involvement, and work-life world to the outside public. Every employee is now your spokesperson, bar none. This shouldn’t make you afraid of social media; in fact, it’s an opportunity to empower employees to talk positively about your company and its’ brand.

What can you do today to make the most of your employees’ social media interaction?

1. Communicate to all employees that using social media to discuss the company should always be treated as if the client is listening (and let us assure you, they are). Just as mom and dad would say, if you can’t say something nice … refrain from posting.

2. If you have an employee that is a great social media communicator, ask other employees to take note of their social media interactions.  This will have the added benefit of demonstrating your trust in your employees, which will make them feel great — and is a powerful rapport builder for management.

3. On the topic of trust, when you place it in your employees, it’s a great way create a sense of accountability for their social media interactions.  It also helps them see how much power they wield with their words.  By being proactive and verbally informing employees that you trust them to represent the company well, the more likely they are to take a personal responsibility for doing right by you.

Obviously, there are boundaries to what is shared (such as trade secrets), but once a clear but low-key policy is established, employees will tend to do the right thing.  With the right strategy, social media can become a powerful tool for your company.