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.
It seems as if anyone and their dog has a blog. Whether it is their own , hosted on a free blogging platform such as "blogger" or " word-press" , or self hosted, or even if the worker or client is simply responding to blog posts and posting their own comments , the result to you, your firm or organization can all be the same - loss of company secrets , well held information or worse - damage to the firm's or organization's well deserved , hard worked image.
In spite of the fact held , by most business people over the age of 40 , that having a web page , and hosting a webpage is an expensive matter this is not so. Such "authorities " are misinformed to say the least. You might even hear them say about some crackpot relative "Where does he get off having his own webpage ?" , this is downright wrong. A blog is of little cost , or in most cases free of charge. If you can type on a standard office word processor - such as Microsoft Office , or Open Office , then you are entirely capable of being the webmaster of a blog. Failing that there is no law saying that you can not post comments on other people blogs , replying to their questions , concerns and postings. The employee posting blog replies may think that they are doing a good and valuable tasking - simply adding value and information to any given blog.
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.
In order to protect your business from damaging employee blogs and to reduce the risk of falling to bloggers damaging content, the following steps would be advisable;
First, create an environment where information and ideas are freely exchanged in your organization. This will allow employees with personal issues and opinions to feel free to express them within the parameters of the organization. It would be much easier to deal with it here than when its goes to the web.
Most likely at this point , no one in H.R. or management has provided an official listing when it comes to the rules of the game concerning blogs and blogging by staff. How else are your staff to know. People do not always like rules but they sure like to know where they stand , what is allowed and what is not tolerated. At least there is a yardstick against which they can be measured .
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 are a powerful tool in today's business climate which can be used for good or bad. Remember it can only take one Blog entry to destroy your business image or customer base that took 20 years to develop and nature. Take responsible steps to embrace the culture and avoid the pitfalls.
It seems as if anyone and their dog has a blog. Whether it is their own , hosted on a free blogging platform such as "blogger" or " word-press" , or self hosted, or even if the worker or client is simply responding to blog posts and posting their own comments , the result to you, your firm or organization can all be the same - loss of company secrets , well held information or worse - damage to the firm's or organization's well deserved , hard worked image.
In spite of the fact held , by most business people over the age of 40 , that having a web page , and hosting a webpage is an expensive matter this is not so. Such "authorities " are misinformed to say the least. You might even hear them say about some crackpot relative "Where does he get off having his own webpage ?" , this is downright wrong. A blog is of little cost , or in most cases free of charge. If you can type on a standard office word processor - such as Microsoft Office , or Open Office , then you are entirely capable of being the webmaster of a blog. Failing that there is no law saying that you can not post comments on other people blogs , replying to their questions , concerns and postings. The employee posting blog replies may think that they are doing a good and valuable tasking - simply adding value and information to any given blog.
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.
In order to protect your business from damaging employee blogs and to reduce the risk of falling to bloggers damaging content, the following steps would be advisable;
First, create an environment where information and ideas are freely exchanged in your organization. This will allow employees with personal issues and opinions to feel free to express them within the parameters of the organization. It would be much easier to deal with it here than when its goes to the web.
Most likely at this point , no one in H.R. or management has provided an official listing when it comes to the rules of the game concerning blogs and blogging by staff. How else are your staff to know. People do not always like rules but they sure like to know where they stand , what is allowed and what is not tolerated. At least there is a yardstick against which they can be measured .
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 are a powerful tool in today's business climate which can be used for good or bad. Remember it can only take one Blog entry to destroy your business image or customer base that took 20 years to develop and nature. Take responsible steps to embrace the culture and avoid the pitfalls.
