Social Media Policy- Getting Fired Over A Tweet ? - PNG Download

We frame the social media policy in our firm , as Social Media is a listening tool.

We use it to listen to our clients, customers, users and so on.

In all this, where does our employees stand?

I ask this question, as I just came across this tweet by a lady, wherein she shared, why she got fired over a tweet?

What are we arriving at ? Are we building listening tools or designing to silence ?

Please share how are you designing your grievance-handling systems, in the age of seamless platforms

Have we identified the differences between maligning and voicing a concern ?

How far should we restrict employees from using a tool? Is there any way that we can acknowledge and resolve, than terminating them ?

Condemnation and corrective actions towards an outrage or even rude behaviour stands many levels different from termination, that affects an employee's career.

I seek an understanding from the Progressive HR Practices and find a solution to a situation like this!

[img]https://www.citehr.com/attachments/147603-social-media-policy-getting-fired-over-tweet-screen-shot-2013-09-28-11.47.54-pm.png[/img]

Here's a comment to this discussion, from Dr. Arindam Sengupta "She was fired not because #SocialMedia but because of firing provision there in that #organization".
The screenshot to this tweet have been attached below.
[img]https://www.citehr.com/attachments/147606-social-media-policy-getting-fired-over-tweet-screen-shot-2013-09-29-10.25.28-am.png[/img]

Companies must frame social media policies. India based organizations are avoiding this issue and banning all the social media websites from the workplace whereas non Indian companies are making good & employee friendly social media policies.
Refer to Ford, Nexen & Coca Cola's social media policies (Freely available online). I framed social media policies based on them and everyone is happy here now. :)
BTW, employees have all the rights to criticize the workplace, organization & subordinates without using any derogatory words. Organization, HR personnel & top management should take up this criticism and improve the workplace environment accordingly. :)

Dear Pmeta,
Great to find your views and the initiative you took in your firm.
I agree to your views on the words to be used by the employees. I take an emphatic view and note that , no one under normal circumstances would use swearing words and voice such a dissent. The situation in here was allowed to roll out of control. Acknowledging a concern is far better than penalising , leading to a greater outrage.
As employer and management, our maturity lies in how we deal with such grievances, without letting them fly off the handle.
I applaud you for drafting a new age policy. If it allows you to discuss, please share what are the pain points that you have acknowledged and how.
Thanking you in anticipation!

I can't discuss the whole policy but I can post the gist of the whole policy.
There are 4 sections in this policy which are as below:
1. Introduction
2. Online Etiquette
3. Disciplinary Action
4. Social Media Policy Training
Introduction includes a nice paragraph about company's take on social media.
Online Etiquette teaches and informs employees what to post/share and how to do that. This section also includes all the terms and conditions.
Disciplinary Action section includes all the actions that can be taken against violation of any section of social media policy.
Social Media Policy Training can be viewed as a program to educate employees about this policy. This training can be designed by HR and IT departments of companies.
I hope this is useful. Unfortunately, at this moment, I can't share more with you.
Thank you. :)