Employee Blogging is it a Corporate Image Issue ?
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.
One of the reasons behind this rapid increase in blogging is the ease with which blogs are created. Anyone with basic computes skills and something to write about would be up and running with a blog in less than 10 minutes, thanks to the many free blog auto creation software and templates being offered by internet entrepreneurs including he mighty Google.
As an employer or consultant you need to be aware of the blogs and postings of current staff on the job , as well as former employees , who may well be disgruntled , and who even go by pseudonyms.
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 in today's business world are a two edged sword. Used well they can promote your business , organization and website presence. Your awareness on the world wide web can improve , you can develop targeted niche customers and followers. You can enhance your corporate , company or groups inherent image immensely. Blogs involve customers in a community - both for good for bad. They may even see your product or service as "theirs" and "theirs to uphold and protect". All in all in the internet marketing world these weblogs are playing an increasing role in search engine positioning , whether it is the search engine ranking results (SERPs) of Google, Yahoo & Bing (formerly MSN ). Why take a chance of a loose cannon diminishing all your careful efforts . Monitor your employee's blogs. Take the time to set standards and rules when it comes to hirelings, operatives and former staff employee members , when it comes to online blogs and blogging.
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