Complaining about your job over drinks is pretty normal. Complaining about your job over social media, however, could get you fired. That’s what one newly-hired employee in Texas found when she vented about her pizza job on Twitter, adding a string of thumbs down emojis for good measure. Unfortunately for her, the tweet was brought to the CEO’s attention, and she was publicly fired in less than 140 characters – without having worked a single day.
While social media can be a useful tool for businesses, it can also be a double-edged sword for employees, as just one inappropriate post, tweet or pic could land you in hot water. Take a look at our DOs and DON’Ts of social media behaviour, and make sure you’re always at the top of your game, both online and off.
1 DO keep your friends close
The key word in social media is ‘social’. Be careful of accepting friend requests from colleagues, never accept a friend request from a manager or supervisor, and make sure your privacy settings are tight.
2 DON’T spend all day on social media
While short breaks throughout the day increase productivity, spending all day on your phone browsing Facebook is never a good idea. Your colleagues will think you’re lazy, and your boss will eventually notice, too.
3 DO think before you post
Calling in sick and then posting pics of yourself out and about is really not the smartest move – as is whining about your job, your colleagues or your boss online. And posting anything intolerant or controversial will almost certainly see you in a meeting with HR.
4 DON’T forget who you work for
When you become an employee, you become an ambassador for your company’s brand, which means that anything you say or do reflects on them. The last thing you want is someone taking a picture of you acting inappropriately, and posting it online.
While constant lateness, poor performance and misconduct are still more likely to get you fired than a single Facebook post, it’s always smart to think before you share. By all means, have fun, take selfies and post pics of your dinner – just keep in mind that when it comes to the Internet, someone is always watching.
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