Employee Blogging is it a Corporate Image Issue ?
It can pass as the most widely used means of self expression on the internet today. Web Logs or blogs as widely known have become an integral part of the way people propagate ideas, concepts, products and services without fear of breaking the rules or a code of conduct. Blogs are used by individuals and organizations to post information from news, opinions, gossip and photos about business, politics, economy and communities.
Blogs are here , there and everywhere. Their growth in numbers and prevalence to say the least is almost sky-high. Yet who is minding the store .? Are your employees “blogging behind your back” ? about corporate secrets ?
In spite of the fact held , by most business people over the age of 40 , that having a web page , and hosting a webpage is an expensive matter this is not so. Such “authorities ” are misinformed to say the least. You might even hear them say about some crackpot relative “Where does he get off having his own webpage ?” , this is downright wrong. A blog is of little cost , or in most cases free of charge. If you can type on a standard office word processor – such as Microsoft Office , or Open Office , then you are entirely capable of being the webmaster of a blog. Failing that there is no law saying that you can not post comments on other people blogs , replying to their questions , concerns and postings. The employee posting blog replies may think that they are doing a good and valuable tasking – simply adding value and information to any given blog.
Employers need to be wary of their employees blogging activities. Current and former employees may use blogs to among other things engage in copyright violations, defamation’s, reprisals or even divulge corporate strategy and trade secrets to competitors.
In order to protect your business from damaging employee blogs and to reduce the risk of falling to bloggers damaging content, the following steps would be advisable;
Believe it or not , there are organizations out there , whose management view their role in life is to protect their perks and privileges . Any open concerns and discussion is seen by this form of management as a personal attack on them , or a direct threat to their apparent power and position. Its a matter of no matter what “I will teach you who is boss” ( often at great expense to corporate morale and profitability ). It is hard to imagine a greater means of creating dissension , hostility and even anger in the ranks.
Secondly, reference blogging in employee policy handbooks to promote responsible blogging. If your employees are already in the blogging culture; insist that employees place disclaimers on their personal blogs
The amount of time and effort spent , should you have a raging bonfire of a loss of private trade data , or procedures can be immense. All in all its a waste of time. It can be said that some management levels actually like to fight and even create “fires” as a means of justification of their existence and pay. Would it not be smarter from the very start to have clear policy procedures in place , including a signed non-disclosure document , clearly listing rules ,proceedings and a time line after leaving the employee ? Large corporations do this as a simple matter of routine . Should not this be your established pattern as well ?
Blogs in today’s business world are a two edged sword. Used well they can promote your business , organization and website presence. Your awareness on the world wide web can improve , you can develop targeted niche customers and followers. You can enhance your corporate , company or groups inherent image immensely. Blogs involve customers in a community – both for good for bad. They may even see your product or service as “theirs” and “theirs to uphold and protect”. All in all in the internet marketing world these weblogs are playing an increasing role in search engine positioning , whether it is the search engine ranking results (SERPs) of Google, Yahoo & Bing (formerly MSN ). Why take a chance of a loose cannon diminishing all your careful efforts . Monitor your employee’s blogs. Take the time to set standards and rules when it comes to hirelings, operatives and former staff employee members , when it comes to online blogs and blogging.