Whether you like it or not, social media is a part of life, and it’s becoming more and more important in the workplace these days, especially since we’re spending 99.9% of our lives online. Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram…they’re all staples of contemporary life. But what happens when they become a problem in the office? We have some handy tips on how to handle and avoid problems on social media both in the office, and for personal use too.
IN THE OFFICE
Familiarize Yourself With Different Platforms
What might be hugely popular on Snapchat isn’t likely to go down in the same way on LinkedIn. While it’s important to think before you post content, it’s also a good idea to consider where you are going to publish it. Different platforms have different audiences, and you don’t want to get that balance wrong.
If You Encounter A Problem, Ask For Advice
If you’re managing your work’s social media and you encounter a problem, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your colleagues, customer relations or HR department. You aren’t superhuman, and they’ll be able to help!
Have A Social Media Policy
It’s a good idea to have a team meeting with your colleagues to set up some guidelines for how you’re going to use your business’s social media account(s). Having set frameworks to work within will make it easier for you to understand when and how to post content online, and will also ensure that everyone you work with is on the same page.
It’s also important to have an internal policy in case of situations where employees bully each other online, because that should never be tolerated. These policies can also be put in place to ensure that people don’t air their dirty laundry online when they’ve had a bad day at work. Boundaries are important.
Ignore The Trolls
Unfortunately, it’s likely that we’ll all encounter trolling at least one point. The best thing to do is just to completely ignore them. There’s no use wasting your time interacting, and you don’t want to be seen giving them the time of day. #bye
FOR PERSONAL USE
Think Before You Post
It’s so easy to post something online these days, you could have a new upload on five different channels in less than a minute if you really wanted. But, it’s good to think before you publish anything. It may seem like a good idea to post something right after a long night out, but will you feel the same way tomorrow? Even if you delete something later, it’s likely that a bunch of people have already seen your post, and that may include your employer. A good tip is to wait 24 hours before you post anything, if you still feel the same need to publish your shenanigans online after this time period, then go for it!
Have Two Accounts
We all have lives outside of work, so if you use social media for business, why not have two separate accounts: one for work, and one for personal use. That way your two lives won’t get mixed up! It’s also an idea to make your personal account private, that way your clients won’t know too much about your personal life.
Hide Your Activity
If you’re not into putting your account on private, you can always hide content from your colleagues and employers, that way you’ll be safe in knowing that your boss isn’t checking up on you every 5 minutes!
Text Lizzy Vartanian
