For those of us who grew up in the sixties and seventies, personal thoughts and feelings were once stored in something called a diary. Most young girls had one and if they also had a brother, he more than likely had tried to sneak a peek inside.
Now with the advent of blogging, the personal journal or weblog has gone worldwide and personal thoughts are no longer locked away, they are posted in plain view where anyone in the world can read what everyone else has to say. But blogging is not without risk. Since most people blog about what goes on in their daily lives, work can become a common topic.
Though most people don’t consider what they say as having any career repercussions, it can have a devastating impact if an organization believes that the work-related information posted compromises company security or confidentiality policies or is deemed inappropriate. The ultimate result is “getting dooced” or being fired.
Fact of the matter is that according to news reports several employers over recent years including Delta Air Lines, Google, Ladies Home Journal, Wells Fargo, Starbucks and Kmart have all reportedly terminated workers because of their blogs.
And if the risk of losing one’s job isn’t enough to make employees think twice about what they post, monster.com indicated there is “an array of legal perils, including libel and defamation; infringement of intellectual property rights such as trademark, patent and copyright; and breach of company confidentiality” that employees need to worry about.
For anyone who currently blogs or is considering starting a blog, here are some guidelines to first consider:
- Don’t write about work. Okay, that might be taking it a bit far. However, employees should be very clear about what their company deems as appropriate blogging topics. Ask about company policies regarding blogging before proceeding. Employees should then be upfront about their intent.
- Don’t blog on company time. Just as employees should not surf inappropriate websites or shop on line during business hours, don’t use company time to blog.
- Don’t blog out of spite or anger. Employees should not write what they wouldn’t say to someone face to face. This is an old email practice, but it is just as applicable to blogging. Retaliation at a coworker or superior is not an appropriate blogging topic. If there are issues that need to be dealt with, handle them in an appropriate and professional manner.
- Be prepared to deal with backlash. Coworkers may not like what someone else has to say. Consider if it’s worth the aggravation.
It's important to consider the consequences before writing a work-related blog. Know the ins and outs first.
 |
