Social Media in the workplace

According to the Deloitte’s 2009 Ethics & Workplace Survey [via eMarketer], 53% of employees felt that their online profiles are none of their employers’ business, and more than one-third never consider what their bosses, clients or colleagues think before posting. However, 61% have made significant adjustments to their social network pages to reflect their public nature – without the prompting of their superiors. While in business perspective, there is that nearly one-third (30%) of executives said social networking is a part of their business and operations strategy, however, 55% of executives admitted that their companies do not have an official policy for social networks.

Keep your Social Media profile right

▲ Facebook Privacy Settings

To avoid potential risk to their public images, it is common for Hongkongers to reject adding their colleagues/business partners in Facebook. Or even they added them, they usually introduce these measures to seperate their work/business with own personal life:

1. Privacy Settings. Take Facebook as an example, you are advised to pick your privacy settings for the access rights and action you allowed to different groups of friends
2. Multiple Social Media Accounts. Simply create 2 or more social media accounts and seperate your groups of family, friends and colleagues.
3. No real name and profile picture. This is the safest way, and in my view, it’s the most anti-social media way.

I believe in social media for good use, and encourage courtesy and against abuse usage of social media. I also recommend you to read about the 10 useful Facebook privacy settings introduced by All Facebook. It may be the time to set your social media profiles right to play safe and enjoy social life online.

Extended Reading

• 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know by All Facebook
• Do You Keep Your Social Media Profiles Separate? by WebProNews
• 2009 Ethics & Workplace Survey Examines the Reputational Risk Implications of Social Networks by Deloitte

Related Posts

• Beyond Photo Tagging: Face Recognition
• What is New Media?
• Rest in Peace, Laughing Gor.