Solving Social Media Challenges in the Workplace
Whether employees are sharing their feelings and frustrations about work online, posting potentially offensive personal views, or scrolling during work hours, social media can create a whole host of issues for employers.
From ensuring your organisation has the right policies and safeguards in place to helping you handle potential misconduct without being too heavy-handed, join WorkNest’s Employment Law and HR experts as they explain how to prevent and address common challenges and protect your organisation against possible legal risks.
1 August, 2.00 - 3.00 pm
What's on the agenda?
Co-hosted by Trainer and Facilitator, Terry Hayward and Head of Team and Solicitor Toyah Marshall, this free, 60-minute session will explore some of the prevalent issues surrounding social media in the workplace to help you tackle problems effectively while minimising the risk of disputes and claims. Our experts will cover:
The law: Understand what the law says regarding social media use by employees, freedom of expression, and to what extent employers can impose rules and restrictions. Plus, what should you consider before taking action against an employee?
Common challenges: Discover how best to deal with:
- Disparaging comments made about the employer, colleagues or a client
- Potentially offensive opinions (unsavoury views versus hate speech)
- Employees using social media while on the clock
- Internal social media and the potential pitfalls
- Disagreements between colleagues resulting from online activity
Preventing problems and protecting your business: Get actionable advice on:
- The role of a social media policy and what this should include
- The importance of staff training
- How to clearly communicate your expectations to employees
- How and when to use informal interventions
- How to manage formal processes such as disciplinaries or grievances
- How to safely access the positives of social media
The meteoric rise of social media has changed how employees share their workplace experiences. Frustrations about colleagues or customers that were once aired in private now frequently find their way online, leading to potentially uncomfortable conversations for employers.
In addition to complaining about work, employees are increasingly taking to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram or X to express their political views, which can result in conflict with colleagues and complicate workplace dynamics. Employees’ online activity could also have potentially significant reputational consequences for employers, particularly if their profile mentions their place of work.
And it’s not just employees’ personal social media use that can cause problems. Issues also arise within the workplace, with staff scrolling through social media or creating content during their contracted hours.
When dealing with situations involving social media, it can be difficult for employers to know when they can and can’t intervene. Indeed, in recent years, Tribunals have cautioned employers against overreacting to alleged misuse of social media. That’s not to say organisations can’t take action, but it will be imperative to have considered certain things first.
Have a question?
If you have a specific query you would like our hosts to answer, submit it when signing up – we’ll address as many as we can at the end of the session.
Register for free webinar
Half-Day HR Course: Social Media in Employment
In recent years, Employment Tribunals have had to navigate claims where employees have been dismissed for alleged breaches of their employer’s social media policy – particularly in relation to content posted on their personal social media accounts.
Our Social Media in Employment training course will help delegates encourage staff to exercise good judgment and, with Tribunals cautioning employers against ‘overreacting’ in such cases, clarify the circumstances in which disciplinary action can be taken for alleged misuse of social media.
Webinar review
“Having attended a few WorkNest webinars, I am always impressed with the no-nonsense, well-balanced guidance they provide. Their advice gives me confidence to deal with situations that may arise in an appropriate way and the fact that they follow up with answers to all the questions posed during the webinar is an added bonus.”
Mary Greig, Scaled Solutions
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