Comments on: When Your Staff Turns Against You with Social Media

By: Monday marketing links: Feeling overwhelmed, website check-ups and the fear of online customer reviews « Training Marketer

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:43:25 +0000

[...] Not everything written online about your company will be positive and how you deal with negative feedback can make or break your online reputation. But, what if that negative feedback is coming from members of your own staff? Read what Jacob Morgan thinks you should do when your staff turns against you with social media. [...]

By: jacobmorgan

jacobmorgan — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:06:42 +0000

hey josh, i agree but the employees weren't lashing out against their employer but against the customers that shop there (which u mention). tough spot to be in!

By: jacobmorgan

jacobmorgan — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:51:40 +0000

hi linda,

great points. i actually wonder how many companies out there are implementing a SM/blog policy, my guess is not many.

By: MatthewRay

MatthewRay — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:36:47 +0000

The good thing about posting such negative comments on Facebook and LinkedIn is that it's a liability to the employee that does write negatively about the company. I would think most companies have an ethics policy of some sort that states one cannot talk negatively or act in a nagative manner while representing the company (as an employee).

LinkedIn and Facebook tie you down to your name. If you talk negatively about one company, the next company that hires you may not hire you because of what you had stated. It's the web, just about everything is searchable.

Twitter, on the other hand, may be able to hide the face of the employee, for a bit. But if the username is using their account regularly and has any links or people that know them, then they'd be in trouble.

I bet a lot of companies are very hesitant to get into social media because of the negative, possiblly anonymous, content that could spawn from opening up.

But... it's a risk a company should be taking these days. They need to do it right, and as you stated, learn how to react to social negativity and reprimand when needed.

@MatthewRay

By: geetarchurchy

geetarchurchy — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:16:34 +0000

If I were in charge of the hiring process at Tesco, i'd be extremely concerned.

Every job has it's down sides, but it is how you deal with them that can determine your success. Tesco should perhaps consider providing better training to their employees and provide more support to their staff who have grievences, no matter how minute they are perceived as

Tesco shouldn't make an example of the staff that have aired their issues but should talk with them in private and ask them if they need any support and as you pertinently say, turn them into happy employees - having a drained workforce just reflects badly on you as a brand and can deter customers from your stores.