Social media has become the driving force of most workplaces.  Just a short time ago, it was barely on a company’s radar as a means of driving production or sales; it was commonly viewed as a nuisance to be avoided in the workplace, dismissed as a means for depraved millennials to get the company into trouble.

Today, social media is seen in a much different, far more positive light by most forward-thinking organizations.  Now companies use LinkedIn to track new recruits; salespeople pump their Facebook contacts to find leads; Twitter has become an effective (and free!) advertising tool.  Even formerly fringy operations like Instagram and Snapchat have found in a legitimate home in offices around Canada.

Despite the power of social media to disseminate and promote, it can still expose companies to potential workplace transgressions – often in the blink of an eye.  Employees have an easy means of speaking without authority on behalf of their employer, posting unfortunate work-related photos of themselves, using social media to of publicly vent about their boss, and so on.

For these reasons, it’s become imperative for workplaces to have a well-drafted social media policy emphasizing the Do’s and Don’ts for employees and contractors who work with their company.  By doing so, companies can ensure employees understand how to communicate effectively using social media – both within and outside the workplace – and what the consequences could be if they don’t use it properly.

Author: Daniel Chodos, Whitten & Lublin