This made it illegal for employers to exclude pregnancy and childbirth from their sick leave and health benefits plans. But what policies are currently in place to protect a job seeker from social media discrimination by an inquisitive employer who using the findings in a damaging way. Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, states, “Because social media is a dominant form of communication today, you can certainly learn a lot about a person by viewing their public, online personas…however, hiring managers and human resources departments have to make a careful, determined decision as to whether information found online is relevant to the candidates’ qualifications for the job.” Only a few years ago, employers reacted quickly (and perhaps hastily) to the development of social media and their employees’ use of social media. Initial policies were restrictive and negative basically not allowing the use of social media sites by employees at all possibly limiting the growth of the company. Recognizing employees’ increased use of social media as a business and networking tool, however, the typical employer’s reaction to employee use of social media shifted and tempered to some degree. Now, the typical social media policy provides employees with guidance on ‘‘best practices’’ for postings on the internet, whether such postings occur on a social media site, a blog, or any other public or private forum on the internet. Despite the problems created by the
A growing hot topic, and cause for concern is the increasing use of social media in the workplace. The landscape for communication has changed, and the line between personal and professional communications has been blurred. How will your employer manage the risks associated with the use of social media and at the same time, gain the benefits that this media form provides? While many employers were initially concerned that employees would use company time and equipment for socializing with friends, they are quickly learning that many social networks can also be used directly for work purposes.
Employers on our social media, this is a fact that everyone in this age accepts but do not necessarily like or want. Some people say it is okay to check social media when looking for who to hire, but this infringes on privacy rights. If an employer finds something discriminating on a profile and decides not to hire the person this is not okay, even though some may say it is because you want to know what you are getting into. An employer could find information that was not even true on social media, this would not work in favor of employment. It is not okay to check social media when employers are hiring because it invades privacy, discriminates and the information provided on the site could be false.
A current and somewhat controversial topic regarding the hiring process is employers’ use of social media screening. The most popular sites to be checked are Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and now more than ever, companies are looking on the Internet to see if applicants are active on these social media websites (Swallow). Harris Interactive conducted a survey of 2,303 respondents from February 9, 2012 through March 2, 2012 to find out how many companies used social media sites to check on job applicants. The results showed that 37 percent of respondents indicated their companies used social media web sites to check on job candidates. Sixty-five percent indicated they were looking to see if a job candidate appeared professional and 51
Employees need to know and adhere to the [Company’s Code of Conduct, Employee Handbook, and other company policies] when using social media in reference to [Company
An employer turns down a job application after seeing on the candidate’s Facebook profile that they are a heavy drinker. A company rejects an application after seeing on Twitter that the candidate is a Muslim with a veil around her head. Another employer rejects an application after seeing on their Facebook profile that they use derogatory terms when commenting on pictures and posts. These examples illustrate how technology has changed the way companies screen prospective employees and how these may eventually lead to legal implications based on protected grounds. In this rapidly-growing world where technology is accessible almost everywhere, employers and recruiters are utilizing technological methods to screen and evaluate
According to Renee Fricks, vice president of human resources at Imperial Capital, “Your social media profile can be more revealing that your resume” (Cohen, 10). Social media has become a normal use of technology of an average college student. From Facebook and Twitter, there is a means of connecting students on diverse planes via the Internet. This allows employers to search any potential job candidate’s social media to investigate user’s posts to determine if they fit their position and hold themselves with high moral regard. If students do not monitor what they post, potential employers may be turned away because of inappropriate pictures, conversations, or other behaviors. Learning about proper social media uses can prevent qualified candidates from losing job opportunities.
When you post something on social media people can get easily offended on things you may not even realize is offensive which could cost you your job. Say if you post something on your social media about getting a new dog, and your employer’s religion forbids anyone from animal captivity. Your employer may get offended and not want you in the job, but thankfully there’s a law against this in Article 1 paragraph 3 “ In certain cases, an employer who is offended by an employee’s social media posts may not be able to use them against the employee.”So what that means if someone is offended and you didn’t know the law you wouldn't be hired at all. That’s why employers shouldn’t check your social media since some personal offenses can cause you
Should our employers or government monitor our social media and cell phone usage? This is a topic that many people face, especially if they are employed by a large corporation or a government agency. This has become a very touchy subject for many, as they believe it is a violation of their privacy.
Introduction: This report was commissioned to examine how Manco Abbott and their employees can have a better understanding and control over social media and the problems that can arise from it. Manco Abbott should create a management strategy and guidelines for their employees to follow to limit potential problems that can arise from social media. Also, our group examined solutions to provide Manco Abbott with information that will help their company’s core competencies, selection and performance management.
The term social media generally refers to communication technologies and interactive platform, such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. A further definition is given by Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) who described it as a group of Internet-based applications that allow the creation and exchange of User Generated Content, and emphasizes that any user of social media can be a content creator and can distribute to a network of users. In a broad term, social media is the social interaction via online information and communication technologies
Understanding the impact social media has had on the business world is particularly important for the younger generation, those teenagers and twenty-somethings who are most likely to post something that may come back to haunt them in years to come. As college students, we must realize that our future can be made or broken by something we consider trivial. For all those concerned with their professional reputation, responsible use of all social media is imperative. In the opinions
Social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook have created a new ethical dilemma for many businesses. Corporations, small businesses, and even universities are struggling create policies to manage their employees social networking behaviors. Social networking access, particularly for recruiters, can provide personal information about potential employees, which would otherwise not be available. A business must follow statutes and guidelines when disclosing information to the public. Individuals on social networking sites have no such constraints. Employees can and do make comments about their employers online. Employers can and do watch what employees post online. Any individual can send or post potentially damaging information
Social media is becoming an increasingly common feature of the world of work and this trend looks set to continue. This application of communication technology or computer mediated tools have developed rapidly in our lives. Survey such as that conducted by CIPD (2013) have shown that while only a quarter of UK employees use it in their professional lives, this increases to 42% among employees aged 18–24. The innovative operation mode of social media has not only successfully drawn the attention of industry and academia, but has also boosted user growth, especially in the younger generation.
It’s unfortunate that this company was so poorly represented by these employees. However, studies suggest this type of behavior can be predicted and thusly avoided via pre-screening of potential employees’ social media profiles. It is better for both
Social media has increasingly been on the rise for over the past 10 years, so has the concern on the effect of it being in the workplace. People are spending more and more time on social media and other communication technology (Walder). Because of this, researchers have begun to wonder what the effect will be in the workplace. The argument of social media in the workplace is on the rise, and will continue to grow as the Internet continues to transform the way people are spending their time (Carlson).