SOCIAL NETWORKING POLICY

A social network service focuses on the building and verifying of online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are primarily web based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, discussion groups. Social networks include, but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Whatsapp, Snapchat, Messenger and personal blogs.

The purpose of a social networking policy

•  To protect the company against potential liability;
• To give employees clear guidance on what can and can’t occur in relation to the company or other employees;
• To help employees separate their professional and personal communication;
• To comply with the law on data protection, discrimination and protecting employees.

Employees must not:

maintain any site that contains personal identifiable information of the company or Clients.

• maintain a site that contains photographs of Clients.
• maintain a site that contains identifiable information of a Client or an employee in relation to their performance and character.
• maintain a site that contains photographs of another employee taken in the work situation or in their working uniform.
• maintain a site that contains defamatory statements about the company, its current or ex-employees, the company’s services or contractors.
• express opinions on the sites that purport to represent their own views on the company.
• post a comment on the sites that purports to represent the views of the company without first consulting the management team.
• breach company confidential information.

As an employee of the company, the company has a reasonable and lawful expectation that staff will not bring the company into disrepute. This is extended to the home environment as well. Any grievance with the organisation should be processed through procedures and policies already in place and dealt with within the work environment.

If employees become aware of a breach in this policy they should contact their line manager in the first instance if it is appropriate to do so. It is possible such a matter may be resolved locally. If this is not the case and if staff are found to have contravened this policy disciplinary sanctions, up to and including dismissal can occur.

The company reserves the right to access and monitor all emails and internet activities carried out on company equipment including the use of any social networking site.