I believe that guidelines for appropriate
social media behavior and etiquette
are critical. It is important for us to
remind our teams that online content
lives on forever.
— JULIE PANKEY, Managing Partner
JMPankey Partners • Boston, Massachusetts
“We had an employee post a comment that was unprofes-
sional and thus lead to the implementation of a policy that is
now included in our company handbook,” says Middaugh. “So
many people are influenced by what they read online, whether
it’s true or false. It’s important to protect the reputation of your
business.”
It would be impossible to regularly monitor each employee’s
social media accounts. Plus, many employees might view it as
intrusive. Instead, give employees clear instructions on how to
mention or reference your spa on social media. Provide them
with appropriate hashtags, examples of proper responses to
comments, and the etiquette you expect of them while on
social media.
“Just as we set guidelines for appropriate associate behavior,
making right choices and leading by example both in and out of
the workplace, I believe that guidelines for appropriate social
media behavior and etiquette are critical,” says Pankey. “It is
important for us to remind our teams that online content lives
on forever. Think before you post. If there’s the slightest hint
that someone may be offended or embarrassed by your post, it
is most likely a post you should rethink.” n
The 6 R’s of Social Media
When in doubt, Middaugh refers her employees at
Spa Anjali at The Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek to
the six R’s of social media usage.
1.
2.
3.
Reason. Simply put: use reasonable etiquette, the
same as you would offline.
Represent yourself. Anonymous profiles lend
themselves to more negative content.
Responsibility. Make sure that what you’re saying
is factually correct, and that it doesn’t violate any
legal guidelines that prohibit revealing information that is
confidential or proprietary.
4.
Respect. What you say online is a permanent
record, so don’t say anything online you wouldn’t
feel comfortable saying to the whole office – with a camera
rolling.
5.
Restraint. Before you hit that send button, pause
and reread. If you wouldn’t want that thought or
contribution forever associated with your name, don’t
post it.
6.
No Retaliation. Don’t take adverse action against
any employee for reporting a possible deviation from
this policy or for cooperating in an investigation. Any
employee who retaliates against another employee for
reporting a possible deviation from this policy or for cooper-
ating in an investigation should be subject to disciplinary
action, up to and including termination.
WANT AN EXAMPLE of a social media
The lounge at Spa Anjali is the perfect place for guests to unwind and check
their phones, but not employees.
policy you can implement into your business? Click
here for JMPankey’s client guidelines on social
media policies.
June 2017
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