Social Media And The Workplace

In today’s society, it is crucial for employees to understand the significance in the use of social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook. This subject will discuss the primary reasons companies allow the usage of social networking sites in the workplace. It will also explain the positive impact social media usage has in the workplace, such as allowing communication to a broader audience. In addition to the positive usage, this topic will also explore the negative implications usage can cause. Because social media is still relatively new, there are not many laws establishing the proper guidelines for these sites in the workplace. Scholarly articles such as the ‘Workplace impact of social networking” examine the effects of not establishing said policies, an error which results in an unhealthy work environment. Ultimately, employees can positively influence the workplace by using social media if they have the proper guidelines to follow.

A growing hot topic, and cause for concern is the increasing use of social media in the workplace. The landscape for communication has changed, and the line between personal and professional communications has been blurred. How will your employer manage the risks associated with the use of social media and at the same time, gain the benefits that this media form provides? While many employers were initially concerned that employees would use company time and equipment for socializing with friends, they are quickly learning that many social networks can also be used directly for work purposes.

When looking for prospective employees, employers do not enjoy rifling through Facebook pictures of obscene pictures and statuses with crude language. Bad behavior of employees, even off the clock, made public by social media

Employers on our social media, this is a fact that everyone in this age accepts but do not necessarily like or want. Some people say it is okay to check social media when looking for who to hire, but this infringes on privacy rights. If an employer finds something discriminating on a profile and decides not to hire the person this is not okay, even though some may say it is because you want to know what you are getting into. An employer could find information that was not even true on social media, this would not work in favor of employment. It is not okay to check social media when employers are hiring because it invades privacy, discriminates and the information provided on the site could be false.

The purpose of this literary review is to enlighten my viewers of the importance of the ethical idea of companies crossing the lines of business with your personal life, when involving social media accounts. Most of my research has operated from the ATU library using the find it tool. Furthermost, the researched information use was from peer-reviewed research journal. I will discuss includes social media cons in the work environment, if it is ethical to get fired over a post, and laws that protect both parties. Social media includes an assortment of electronic communications—most commonly networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Pinterest, Instagram, and the likes thereof. Social media also covers all forms of blogs, including Twitter (a micro-blog), wikis, online journals, diaries, personal newsletters, and World of Warfare and YouTube also are included under the umbrella term of social media (Lieber 2011).

Sites such as LinkedIn helps recruiters in recruiting candidates by expanding the reach of their personal networks, contact candidates directly, and manage an array of talent (Schawbel, 2012). With most people being aware that employers do reference their profile for character check, people do believe that employers have the right to view their information in order to learn about the candidates’ personality and to ensure the person is not a liability (Budden, Elkersh, Vicknair, & Yancey, 2010). In conclusion, employers should be using social media only for job-relevant purposes. Employers should take specific steps

Prof Warren from Deakin University indicates researchers have found that a lot of business organisations have no policy regarding social media, with very few offering any social media training at all.

According to Renee Fricks, vice president of human resources at Imperial Capital, “Your social media profile can be more revealing that your resume” (Cohen, 10). Social media has become a normal use of technology of an average college student. From Facebook and Twitter, there is a means of connecting students on diverse planes via the Internet. This allows employers to search any potential job candidate’s social media to investigate user’s posts to determine if they fit their position and hold themselves with high moral regard. If students do not monitor what they post, potential employers may be turned away because of inappropriate pictures, conversations, or other behaviors. Learning about proper social media uses can prevent qualified candidates from losing job opportunities.

The term social media generally refers to communication technologies and interactive platform, such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. A further definition is given by Kaplan
and Haenlein
 (2010) who described it as a group of Internet-based applications that allow the creation and exchange of User Generated Content, and emphasizes that any user of social media can be a content creator and can distribute to a network of users. In a broad term, social media is the social interaction via online information and communication technologies

Social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook have created a new ethical dilemma for many businesses. Corporations, small businesses, and even universities are struggling create policies to manage their employees social networking behaviors. Social networking access, particularly for recruiters, can provide personal information about potential employees, which would otherwise not be available. A business must follow statutes and guidelines when disclosing information to the public. Individuals on social networking sites have no such constraints. Employees can and do make comments about their employers online. Employers can and do watch what employees post online. Any individual can send or post potentially damaging information

Social media is becoming an increasingly common feature of
the world of work and this trend looks set to continue. This application of communication technology or computer mediated tools have developed rapidly in our lives. Survey such as that conducted by CIPD (2013) have shown that while only a quarter of UK employees use it in their professional lives, this increases to 42% among employees aged 18–24. The innovative operation mode of social media has not only successfully drawn the attention of industry and academia, but has also boosted user growth, especially in the younger generation.

It’s unfortunate that this company was so poorly represented by these employees. However, studies suggest this type of behavior can be predicted and thusly avoided via pre-screening of potential employees’ social media profiles. It is better for both

Social media has increasingly been on the rise for over the past 10 years, so has the concern on the effect of it being in the workplace. People are spending more and more time on social media and other communication technology (Walder). Because of this, researchers have begun to wonder what the effect will be in the workplace. The argument of social media in the workplace is on the rise, and will continue to grow as the Internet continues to transform the way people are spending their time (Carlson).

My second reason for why I believe job employers should have the right to look at social media accounts of potential employees is because it allows the employer to find out if the candidate presents a positive professional image and good communicative skills. If an employers chooses to look at someone who bullies others on social media it could show that that applicant has a poor character. If they look at someone who is illiterate or inappropriate with images or words that could show a potential problem with maturity. If an employer looks at someone who has positive feedback from peers and shows an active involvement in the community, it could show the employer that the candidate has the ability to help the company grow.

Social media can be too informative at times. Suppose you were looking for a job and applied but the chances of ever being hired were ruined because of what you post online. The fact that one can be chosen to be looked up and be reviewed on based on their beliefs. For example “someone applying to become the new head of a science department. The applicant had attended conferences on creationism and posted notes online. Someone from the steering committee saw them and voiced concerns and the applicant was turned down” (Fox 7). It creates a mindset of having to second guess what you post due to the possibility of it affecting you in the future. Even if you do get hired getting passed the screening there is still the employer’s awareness to posts that you may have to take into consideration. There is a chance of being terminated if you were to post something the employee may deem notable to consider letting you go. However