New Acas research, published today, reveals that many employers are wary of using social media to communicate in the workplace because they are afraid it will be misused by their employees.
The study shows that many employers are keen to exploit social media to promote their business but far fewer use it to engage with their staff. Employers’ fears include: online conversations getting out of hand; having to act on employee suggestions; and employees not using social media for work purposes. Acas Chair, Sir Brendan Barber, said:
“Social media is now being used everywhere in the UK and it has changed the way we communicate in our private lives. But only one in four people utilise social media for work compared to three in four using it in their private life. Bosses should take advantage of the benefits social media can bring in giving employees a voice, which also contributes towards a good working relationship within the workplace. Using social media more widely as a communication channel in the workplace can help staff work more effectively together and it offers opportunities to get colleagues talking and sharing ideas in real-time and in any location.”
Acas has some tips on using social media within the workplace. Employers should: develop a supportive culture of employee voice; trust staff and accept that they cannot control everything; ensure that senior leaders champion the positive use of social media; and have a robust social media policy outlining acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
