Page 99 - Perfect Phrases for Motivating and Rewarding

Guidelines and Policies

The Motivational Mindset
■ All employees should have guidelines for posting in regard to
your business—even on personal sites during personal time.
Make sure they are guidelines, not instructions. Guidelines
ensure that people know what shouldn’t be said and why;
instructions ensure that posting will feel like work, and if
anyone does it, the posts will seem stilted and unnatural.
■ When considering how much time employees should use at
work for social networking, take the long view and consider
that the cost of that advertising is minimal for the exposure
you’ll receive. At the same time, be cognizant of how much
time is spent and whether it is interfering with other important
priorities.
■ Most employees who feel good about their company will
be inclined to check in on its social media pages and make
comments. Whether or not you implement a formal plan
or allow access at work, guidelines should still be clear,
and employees should feel good about making positive
statements.
■ The challenges and dangers of allowing—let alone
encouraging—employees to speak for or about your company
online are serious ones. Firm guidelines must be put in place,
but not in a way that demoralizes or demotivates.
■ Guidelines are necessary for personal use at work, disclosure
of boundaries, professional image, confidential material, and
business etiquette.
■ Eager, well-meaning employees can easily represent your
company in ways you wouldn’t want them to or cross the lines
of business etiquette. While they may have good intentions,
the impact of serious errors in judgment online can be
far-reaching.

86