HR Warms to Social Media
What better way to start our blog than to take a look at how social media impacts HR? Social media has engrained itself into our personal AND professional lives-and it looks like it’s here to stay. What does that mean for HR? Many HR professionals see social media as a gray area-there are company policies in place that block social media sites like Facebook and Twitter because they are thought to decrease productivity, but some HR professionals are looking at social media as a free tool for their company or organization. More and more HR professionals are using these sites to find qualified candidates who not only look good on paper but also fit in well and have proven integrity. In addition, businesses are encouraging their employees to use social networks to expand their list of contacts. One the other end of the spectrum, there are HR professionals who see these sites as more of a danger to their organization. HR has many different responsibilities, one of them, of course, is to protect the company they work for from legal issues. Content posted to an employee’s social media page can negatively impact the employers. This has led to company policies and restrictions on what type of content, pictures, etc. can be posted on an employee’s page.
What is YOUR company’s stance on social media in the workplace? Are you embracing this technology or still on the fence? Does your company currently have any policies on social media? Do you use it as a recruiting tool?