With such a huge user base, social networking tools like Facebook pose a huge temptation for users to use while at work. For a business this poses some dangers that warrant attention as to avoid handling problems later on.
Here are a few facts to consider:
· Over 75% of employees are already using social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for business purposes.
· Nearly 20% of companies report that they have investigated the posting of confidential, sensitive or private information to a social network by an employee.
· Approximately 8% of companies have terminated employees for organizational violations using social media.
The 2 main risks that a business face when their employees use Facebook at the office are as follows:
and it seemed to me that these were applicable to business users as well. Here is my take on that list, adapted for folks trying to use Facebook for business:
As a measure to protect your privacy and infrastructure, it is important to keep your business network free of any security threats. Use of games or links may allow a malicious app on your network. Be careful about what apps you give access to.
It is highly recommended to address the growing interest and utilization of Social Media sites by your employee in a clearly stated, professional and compliant manner.
An important first step in doing so is to establish a company policy on the use or restriction of Social Media sites while at work or “on the clock”. This will help eliminate any confusion your employees may have concerning the use of social media websites in your business.
