Social Media Policy Development for Organizations
This paper examines the importance of a well-developed organizational social media policy, focusing on the risks employees pose to company reputation and legal standing through irresponsible online behavior. After reviewing existing policies from Greteman Group and G4S as case studies, the paper presents an original social media policy for a fictional medical equipment supplier, ABC Company. The policy addresses scope, confidentiality, honesty, information virality, and appropriate use during business hours. The paper concludes by outlining the benefits of the policy, including brand protection, reduced legal liability, and the preservation of employee productivity — without outright banning social media use in the workplace.
- Introduction: Why organizations need social media policies
- Literature Review: Case studies of Greteman Group and G4S policies
- Social Media Policy: ABC Company: Full draft policy with numbered guidelines
- Benefits of the ABC Company Social Media Policy: How the policy protects reputation and productivity
- Conclusion: Summary of policy value and organizational impact
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its policy recommendations in real-world case studies (Greteman Group and G4S), lending credibility to the framework it ultimately proposes.
- The ABC Company policy is presented in a structured, numbered format that mirrors actual workplace documents, demonstrating practical application rather than purely theoretical analysis.
- The paper strikes a balance between restriction and empowerment, arguing that a good social media policy guides rather than bans — a nuanced point that strengthens the argument.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses a comparative case-study approach in its literature review to build toward an applied deliverable. By analyzing two existing organizational policies before drafting one, the author demonstrates how academic research can directly inform practical professional outputs — a technique common in business and policy writing at the undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a problem statement establishing why social media policies matter, then moves into a literature review of two corporate case studies. The central section presents the original ABC Company policy in formal, numbered subsections. A benefits analysis follows, explaining how the policy serves the company's interests. The paper closes with a conclusion that synthesizes the key takeaways and references established scholarship on workplace social media risk.
Introduction
The relevance of a well-developed social media policy cannot be overstated. This is especially true given that organizations must not only protect their public image and reputation, but also guard against liabilities arising from the actions of their employees. A new employee could be overenthusiastic about their position and deem it appropriate to post, blog, and tweet about the company. When such posts appear alongside unrelated, non-professional, or even obscene personal content they have previously published, this could call into question the caliber of people the company hires. Employees may also, in seeking to defend their companies or for other reasons, post abusive or false information about a rival company — or worse, leak confidential data about their own employer — leading to legal action.
Regardless of the value of social media in the organizational setting, there is a need to ensure that employee productivity is not harmed through the use of company information systems for non-work-related activities such as constantly updating personal profiles or chatting with network contacts. Rather than banning all non-work-related computer activity, employers could instead harness the power of social media to advance the organization's agenda by adopting a well-designed social media program. This paper develops a policy that a fictional organization, ABC Company, could adopt to achieve the best possible outcomes from its social media program.
Literature Review
According to Keyes (2013, p. 90), "social networks have always been a vital aspect of people's social lives and communications." They cannot, therefore, be entirely separated from the organization's way of doing things. Some companies that have well-developed social media policies include, but are not limited to, Adidas Group, Apple, the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Dell, LiveWorld, the L.A. Times, IBM, and Greteman Group. There is a need to review existing case studies in order to develop a sound social media policy for ABC Company. Accordingly, two examples of social media policies are highlighted in this section: Greteman Group and G4S.
Greteman Group provides its client base in the aerospace industry with a wide range of services including public relations, advertising, and marketing. The company is headquartered in Wichita, KS. It has a well-defined social media policy that clearly sets standards of behavior with respect to employee use of social media. The company's overarching philosophy on social media use is: "while you are on company time, please refrain from online activities that don't bring value to Greteman Group. Think of your personal time online in the same way you think of personal phone calls or emails" (Greteman, 2016). This is understandable given that "a 2009 survey of 300 Australian workers led by marketing Professor Brent Coker found that 70% of respondents engaged in 'leisure browsing' online while at work" (Jenkins, Ford, and Green, 2013, p. 308).
Regarding blogging, Greteman Group notes that the online activities of employees have an impact on the company's image. It therefore advises employees to act wisely by never disclosing private or confidential company and client information. Other key items in the company's blogging guidelines include avoiding personal blogs during working hours, making clear that opinions posted on personal blogs are those of the blogger and not the company, and seeking clarification from a supervisor when uncertain about what to post. With respect to social networking, the company has guidelines to regulate employee use of sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook. These include never accessing personal social networks during working hours, posting thoughtfully so as not to embarrass the company or its clients, and being mindful of what is posted about competitors. Non-work-related activities — such as online shopping, blog reading, and watching social media videos — are also discouraged.
G4S is a multinational security firm involved in the provision of security and a wide range of related services, including cash handling. Its head offices are located in London. Through its social media policy, G4S aims to empower employees "to use the social web in an effective and supportive way that gives" the company's "clients, colleagues and any external viewers the best possible understanding of who we are and what we do" (G4S, 2016). While the company acknowledges that social media can be an excellent way to communicate and engage with the world, it also recognizes that there are various risks associated with social media use that all employees should understand.
In an attempt to minimize those risks while still harnessing the benefits of social media, G4S has established several guidelines. The company acknowledges that employee social media use cannot be entirely work-related, but it advises employees to be judicious about what they share. Uploading employee photos, posting work-related information, and distributing information about the workplace are among the things not permitted, particularly given the sensitive nature of the company's operations. To avoid legal action, the company also advises employees to observe confidentiality agreements and business ethics policies when posting on social media platforms. G4S makes clear that employees are legally liable for their online posts and presentations (G4S, 2016). The company is also aware that its reputation could be damaged by employees' online behavior, and therefore advises employees to post only information they have verified, to avoid being linked to controversial content, and to refrain from spamming.
Conclusion
The importance of implementing the social media policy outlined above cannot be overstated. As Flynn (2012) points out, social media users in the workplace need to be educated about social media risks and how to navigate the social media landscape responsibly. In addition to defining what the company considers confidential and specifying what information should or should not be shared, ABC Company's social media policy provides employees with important guidelines on how to engage other social media users.
The policy draws a clear line between employees' work lives and their private lives, and in doing so, limits the personal use of social media platforms in the workplace — which could otherwise interfere with productivity. Ultimately, the social media policy presented in this paper advances the organization's agenda while simultaneously limiting opportunities for improper online behavior that could damage the company's reputation and threaten the continuity of its business.
Flynn, N. (2012). The Social Media Handbook: Rules, Policies, and Best Practices to Successfully Manage your Organization's Social Media Presence, Posts, and Potential. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
G4S (2016). Social Media Guidelines for G4S Employees. Retrieved from http://www.g4s.com/~/media/Files/Social%20Media/Global%20Document%20-%20Social%20Media%20Guidelines%20for%20G4S%20Employees%20v1%20Feb%202011.ashx
Greteman Group (2016). Social Media Policy. Retrieved from http://www.gretemangroup.com/social-media-policy/
Jenkins, H., Ford, S., & Green, J. (2013). Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture. New York, NY: NYU Press.
Keyes, J. (2013). Enterprise 2.0: Social Networking Tools to Transform your Organization. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
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