Purpose
FIP Group acknowledges the importance of social media in today’s world. The purpose of this policy is to provide an overview of company expectations to employees in terms of appropriate social media use.
For the purpose of this policy, Social Media refers to any service used for online publication and/or commentary, including but not limited to blogs, wiki’s, Internet forums, and Social Networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, Forums, Flikr, Foursquare, and Youtube.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees, including:
· full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary;
· contract or commission workers;
· volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.
It applies to employees whilst:
· At the Company premises
· Attending work-related interactions with fellow employees, and with clients, candidates and other stakeholders;
· Fulfilling work-related obligations;
· At the Host Company/stakeholder premises; and/or
· At a Company sponsored or funded functions or activities during and/or outside working hours.
Other actions by employees outside working hours may also fall within the scope of this policy if there is an impact on the employee’s ability and/or suitability to do his/her job or the actions bring the Company into disrepute.
Policy
Conditions of Use of Social Media
The Company’s use of social media is in direct alignment with its core values. These core values have built the business into the respected and successful organisation it is today.
As part of the conditions of employment, the Employee agrees to use all social media constructively, responsibly, and where opportunity exists, to the benefit of the Company. The Employee agrees to do so in alignment with the Company’s’ core values particularly where posts relate to or are likely to affect the Company, and any stakeholders including but not limited to staff, management, suppliers and its competitors.
You agree that the Company will not be liable, under any circumstances, for errors, omissions, loss or damages claimed or incurred due to any of your Internet postings.
Personal
Social media is about individual participation. Each piece of content you publish, regardless of size and intention can have a powerful positive or negative impact on the Company word-of-mouth marketing and brand integrity. Keep in mind that you are personally responsible for anything you publish online and will be held accountable for any action that deliberately breaches the terms of this policy. Posts should express individual opinions, and not take positions for the Company.
Authenticity
Posts should be factual. Posts should not make comparative statements concerning the Company’s competitors, staff, or client partners without prior approval from the Manager. You should always disclose your employment or association with the Company. With respect to Twitter, if you choose to include your title on LinkedIn or Facebook the company is also included in your profile.
Protect Confidential Information
You may not use your blog, micro-blog or other social media outlet to disclose any confidential information relating to the Company. This includes nonpublic financial information such as future revenue, earnings, and other financial forecasts, as well as anything related to the Company’s strategy, sales, products, policy, management, operating units, and potential acquisitions that have not been made public. Posts should not speculate on the Company’s future plans or business prospects.
Protecting the confidentiality of our client partners, patients, staff, management, stakeholders and suppliers is also important. Do not mention them or the Company’s staff in any online publications without their permission. Do not disclose items such as sensitive personal information of others or details related to the Company’s business with its clients. Third party social media services use servers that are outside of the Company’s control and may pose a security risk. Do not use these services to conduct internal business. Additionally, you may not publish our competitors’ proprietary or confidential information. Take care not to disparage or denigrate competitors.
Refrain from Objectionable or Inflammatory Posts
Neither you nor any of your family members are allowed to post anything that is false, misleading, obscene, defamatory, profane, discriminatory, libelous, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, or embarrassing to another person or entity. This includes, but is not limited to, comments regarding the Company’s client partners, patients, employees, management, partners and competitors. Neither you nor any of your family members are to personally attack fellow employees, clients, customers, stakeholders, suppliers, or shareholders.
Make sure to respect others’ privacy. Third party Web Sites and blogs that you link to must meet our standards of propriety. Be aware that false or defamatory statements or the publication of an individual’s private details could result in legal liability for the Company and you. For this reason, employees with personal blogs that discuss the Company’s business, products, employees, customers, partners, or competitors should include the following disclaimer in a visually prominent place on their blog: “The views expressed on this (blog/Web Site) are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Company. Similarly, if you appear in a video, you should preface your comments by making it clear that you are not a spokesperson for the Company and your opinion doesn’t necessarily reflect that of the Company.
Do Not Post Anonymously
While you are not an official spokesperson, your status as an employee may still be relevant to the subject matter. You should identify yourself as an employee as failing to do so could be misleading to readers or viewers. You should not engage in covert advocacy for the Company. You should not start blogging about the Company related topics or providing feedback about the Company or client partners without permission to do so.
Respect Copyrights
You must recognise and respect others’ intellectual property rights, including copyrights. While certain limited use of third-party materials (for example, use of a short quotation that you are providing comment on) may not always require approval from the copyright owner, it is still advisable to get the owner’s permission whenever you use third party materials. Never use more than a short excerpt from someone else’s work, and make sure to credit and, if possible, link to the original source. Trademarks such as logos, slogans and various digital content (art, music, photos, etc.) may require permission from the copyright owner. It is your responsibility to seek that permission if you intend to use any such trademarked content.
Use Video Responsibly
You may be viewed as endorsing any Web video or other content you link to from your blog, whether created by you, by other Company employees, or by third parties. The Social Media Policy applies to this content. Recognise that video use is an area in which you need to be particularly sensitive to others’ copyright rights. Generally, you cannot include third party content such as film clips or songs in your video without obtaining the owner’s permission.
Stick to Company Topics on the Company-Sponsored Blogs
News and Blogs that are hosted or run by the Company should focus on topics that are related to the Company’s business. We encourage you to take a position and push our message in a strong, yet elegant and diplomatic manner. Always engage with critics in a civil manner as 47% of people online are observers to the conversation and can make or choose to make determinations about the Company’s brand, and whether or not to do business with the Company based on what we say and do. Please remain aware of that.
Management Must Approve Participation on Social Media during Work Time
Social media activities must not interfere with your work or productivity at work or whilst working at partner client facility. Your personal activities should take place outside of work.
Disclaimer
If you comment on any aspect of the Company’s business or any policy issue in which the Company is involved and in which you have responsibility, you must clearly identify yourself as a Company employee in your postings or blog site(s) and include a disclaimer that the views are your own and not those of the Company. Each blog post shall contain the following disclaimer: “The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Company. Your Internet postings should reflect your personal point of view, not necessarily the point of view of the Company, subject to the requirements set out below.
Because you are legally responsible for your postings, you may be subject to liability if your posts are found to be defamatory, harassing, or in violation of any other applicable law or policy. You may also be liable if you make postings, which include confidential or copyrighted information (printed material, music, videos, text, etc.) belonging to third parties. Any of the information discussed in this paragraph is prohibited from being included in your postings.
Use of Social Media Generally
The Company reserves the right to monitor your participation in social media activities related to the business, client partners, employees, management, or suppliers. We count on our employees to help ensure that the Social Media Policy is being followed. Misconduct in relation to the use of social media must be reported to Manager (e.g. copyright violations, harassment, misstatements) immediately.
It needs to be clearly understood that misuse of the Company’s social media or social media that you participate in privately, may negatively impact or potentially negatively impact the Company’s reputation, its business operations, client partners business and other members of staff, employees, patients, or management.
Consequences of non-compliance
Failure to comply with the policy may result in consequences outlined in the Disciplinary Policy which may include termination of employment.
Related Policy
· Disciplinary Policy
Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed at least annually (or more frequently if necessary due to technical or other business policy requirements). The Company reserves the right to suspend, modify, or withdraw this Policy at any time. The Employee is responsible for regularly reviewing its terms.
