Thursday, August 27, 2009

Employee Blogging is it a Corporate Image Issue ?

By William U. Pearson

Your employees may well be writing blogs and blogging about what should be private as well as secret matters matters at your own hard earned business or workplace. These same "trusted " employees may not even think that they are doing anything wrong or untoward.

Blogs are here , there and everywhere. Their growth in numbers and prevalence to say the least is almost sky-high. Yet who is minding the store .? Are your employees "blogging behind your back" ? about corporate secrets ?

It is easy today to blog . The costs are trivial , if not free of charge. The tools are easy. If you can write on a simple word processor then you can blog . Simple as that.

Employers need to be wary of their employees blogging activities. Current and former employees may use blogs to among other things engage in copyright violations, defamation's, reprisals or even divulge corporate strategy and trade secrets to competitors.

What do marketing and information technology consultants recommend as a matter of course of planning and procedures ? Its no accident that a major enterprise has emerged on the web , of removing negative comments and postings on the web . On top of that it is an expensive and time consuming procedure , often to little avail except substantial costs to offended companies. Fire departments have fire prevention departments. So should you when it comes to employee blogs and their postings.

First and foremost a true environment of openness and honesty should be maintained and at the worst strived for. Nothing begets anger more than suppressed anger. The stiff upper lip does not cut it anymore.

Secondly, reference blogging in employee policy handbooks to promote responsible blogging. If your employees are already in the blogging culture; insist that employees place disclaimers on their personal blogs

At the very least have employees sign a waiver or non disclosure. This should be prepared properly with legal authorities , and should have a clear time line. Again its about clear rule and statements.

Blogs and blogging are playing an ever increasing role in marketing as well as SEO ( Search Engine Optimization) tactics and procedures in the world of internet sales and marketing. Use blogs as a positive tool in your employee.

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