The office year-end function is a celebration of the hard work that staff members have put in, during the year, to make the company a success. More often than not, employees indulge a little too much on the company’s tab.
A little bit too much wine can easily cloud one’s judgment and it can be tempting to post things to social media that really shouldn’t be there.
Inappropriate posts on social media
There have been many legal cases to have passed through South African courts about employees posting derogatory comments about their employers on social media and being dismissed as a result.
What is generally looked at is if the employee – who made the comment – is connected with the company on the social platform they used to make the comment. If this is the case, it is viewed that the employee brought the employer’s good name into disrepute. This could be a dismissible offense.
What many employees don’t realise is that, even if they post inappropriate images, using their own devices and doing so outside office hours, this could still be seen as a dismissible offense. Their right to freedom of expression doesn’t come into it as by slandering the company’s good name they are effectively hampering their ability to do business effectively.
What’s the solution?
To avoid stressful disciplinary and dismissal proceedings, be sure to check out your company’s policies on social media. This will give you peace of mind that when you’re posting on social media, you’re making sure that you do so without stepping on your company’s toes.
To help you navigate the wilds of the social media terrain, take a course in social media marketing. You’ll learn best practice when it comes to developing a social media presence that works for you.
For more information, visit www.digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za. You can also follow the Digital School of Marketing on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy