Employers are being advised by legal experts in Sheffield to be clear and consistent in their approach to how employees use social media, either at work or when referring to it.
Specialist employment law team Irwin Mitchell’s has received a growing number of requests for information from commercial property businesses and other organisations. Due to the requests being made about how staff uses social media platforms in relation to work, Irwin Mitchell has made it one of their priorities for 2012.
According to consultant, Towers Watson, the growing popularity in social media and the nature of interactions it can lead to, alongside the risks posed to commercial property organisations by inappropriate employee activities, should not be overlooked by companies.
It advised that while there are benefits for commercial property firms in the use of social media as a marketing tool, the clouding of boundaries between workplace and marketplace; professional and private life; and on and off-line activity, means the simple banning of access to social media at work or tolerating but not guiding social media usage-does not work and can be counterproductive for employers.
How employees use the likes of Facebook and Twitter has grown much attention in recent months due to a number of high-profile cases. The most recent is the tribunal related to BG Group executive John Flexman, who claims he was forced out of his job after placing his CV on LinkedIn and registering his interest in career opportunities.
Associate solicitor and employment law expert at Irwin Mitchell’s Sheffield office, Liesel Whitfield said such cases show that commercial property firms cannot shy away from this concern any longer.
She said: “Our teams across the country are getting more and more enquiries related to the issue of how employers can approach the issue of social media in a way which does not leave them open to potential unfair dismissal claims or other action.”
She further added: “While some employers impose a complete ban on any use of such websites for work-related purposes, in many sectors such a move would be disadvantageous and potentially harmful to the organisation’s own long-term progress.”
Senior consultant at Towers Watson, Andy Blacknell said: “When thinking about the potential of social media, employers are often put off by the perceptions of lost productivity, leakage and potential liability risks. Given social media usage is likely to increase and most individuals using it are also employees, employers need to ask themselves if it is really less harmful to leave employees to their own devices or rather to provide them with appropriate social media capability and guidance.”
Blacknell added: “We believe the solution is to have social media policies embedded in each organisation.”
Liesel added that guidelines on social media offer the best opportunity for commercial property organisations to keep their staff completely informed on the issue.
Liesel explained: “Clear policies on the use of social media will ensure that workers understand what they can and cannot do on such websites in relation to referencing their employer and their job.”
Research conducted by Towers Watson shows that more than half of commercial property companies block social media sites due to worries about employees revealing sensitive or private financial or competitive information or about employees spending too much time on social media sites.
It also found that 73 per cent of commercial property companies have not purchased insurance against any form of cyber risk, including social media liability. Of the 27 per cent that have attained some form of policy, 61 per cent bought £6 million to £30 million limits.
No Twitter or Facebook for 2012 Olympics Volunteers
Meanwhile, volunteers at the London 2012 Olympics have been warned not to share the whereabouts or give away breaking news about athletes, celebrities and politicians through online comments or pictures posted on social media sites.
For many of us, it is virtually instinctive to write a comment or snap an image of something fascinating on our smartphones and quickly share it with our friends on Facebook or Twitter. However, the 2012 London Olympic volunteers might choose to reassess their social networking while at the games. 
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) had warned the volunteers of the Olympic Games against the use of Twitter and Facebook. The volunteers are not allowed to post about their role, location or any information regarding the VIPs online. They are however allowed to retweet or pass on the official London 2012 postings.
The volunteers are also not permitted to make any public statement regarding the 2012 Olympic Games without prior consent from LOCOG’s Communication Team. These restrictions have been put in place due to security and reputation reasons.
Volunteers are also not allowed to disclose any breaking news pertaining to any athlete. The Game Makers are not permitted to post any images or videos of the LOCOG backstage which is not open to the public.
Organisers for the 2012 Olympics Games are in the process of enlisting 70,000 unpaid volunteers to help run the Games from July 27-August 12.
Only last month, Britain said it would provide up to 13,500 troops to protect the Games after organisers said security levels needed to be doubled. As well as the athletes, many world leaders customarily visit the Games at some point.
Organisers are also keen to make sure that sponsors who help to fund the Olympics are the only commercial property companies able to market their brands at venues.
A spokesperson for the London Organising Committee said that security was one concern; however that it was standard procedure for organisations to explain how workers should use social media.
The spokesperson said: “We understand that many of our Games Makers (volunteers) will want to use social media to share their exciting experiences at London 2012 with their friends and family.”
They further added: “As it is standard in most organisations, we have provided some practical guidelines to give basic advice on interacting in a social media environment with the aim of protecting the interests of our workforce and operation.”
The restriction on the use of social media on players and athletes is nothing new. The social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have previously witnessed controversies. During 2010 Football World Cup, the players were forbidden from using Twitter. In 2011 Rugby World Cup, even New Zealand banned its players from using Twitter. As they can land up into controversies, restrictions on the use of social media for players sounded adequate.
There are however challenging views on such restricted social media policy for Olympics 2012. The 70,000 plus Games Makers have volunteered to make this game possible in their leisure time, compelled by passion and unpaid. Such constraints laid on them have without doubt received mixed responses.
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Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to produce a good article… but what can I say…
I put things off a whole lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.