Employers wanting your social media to support them
Discussion
I have a decent job working in a specialist role in an SME owned by an individual. Other employees warned me about the boss and his behaviours. It has taken some time, but I can now see what they mean.
A colleague and myself attended an exhibition event and were asked to post photos and commentary on LinkedIn. Bearing in mind, we have a corporate LinkedIn identity as well as our own profiles.
The event was always going to be busy, so we agreed we would take photographs and send them back to the office, where they could be posted from the comfort of a desk by someone who had the time to do it. Fine.
Once back, we had a meeting to discuss how the exhibition went. The boss was direct with me, staring me out....because I did "like" the couple of posts they put out on LinkedIn, but I did like someone else's!
My view is that he treats people really unreasonably but I am one of the few that can and does stand up to him. He lost my respect already and to me, my LinkedIn is is MY LinkedIn. What I post about other things should be of no concern and neither should he be insisting that I send positive PR messages using it especially when he is essentially bullying and abusive of his staff. The company turnover is such that when I started there were 8 employees, 3 of which have subsequently left.
What is the general feeling these days about companies putting pressure onto employees to promote their businesses using the employees' own social media?
By the way..the HR department is just a smokescreen for the boss to say unreasonable things to employees, in an impolite way, just about staying the right side of the law.
A colleague and myself attended an exhibition event and were asked to post photos and commentary on LinkedIn. Bearing in mind, we have a corporate LinkedIn identity as well as our own profiles.
The event was always going to be busy, so we agreed we would take photographs and send them back to the office, where they could be posted from the comfort of a desk by someone who had the time to do it. Fine.
Once back, we had a meeting to discuss how the exhibition went. The boss was direct with me, staring me out....because I did "like" the couple of posts they put out on LinkedIn, but I did like someone else's!
My view is that he treats people really unreasonably but I am one of the few that can and does stand up to him. He lost my respect already and to me, my LinkedIn is is MY LinkedIn. What I post about other things should be of no concern and neither should he be insisting that I send positive PR messages using it especially when he is essentially bullying and abusive of his staff. The company turnover is such that when I started there were 8 employees, 3 of which have subsequently left.
What is the general feeling these days about companies putting pressure onto employees to promote their businesses using the employees' own social media?
By the way..the HR department is just a smokescreen for the boss to say unreasonable things to employees, in an impolite way, just about staying the right side of the law.
Recently I had the "pleasure" of staying at the Prem Inn Newport Shropshire. The Beefeater next door had flyers on all the tables requesting 5 star reviews on Trip Advisor etc. I find this behaviour really quite unacceptable. What made it worse is in the main the staff and service along with the food quality at that place is very poor. I was there 3 nights so maybe not a one off.
But those flyers really irritated me and had I reviewed the place 2 stars would have been generous
But those flyers really irritated me and had I reviewed the place 2 stars would have been generous
You want to be really careful with LinkedIn. I know of one individual who was sacked as he posted something controversial on his LinkedIn profile that was seen by his employers as it appeared on the company's streams as he had these as a connection. Went all the way to the top execs apparently, he didn't stand a chance. LinkedIn is not Facebook.
My boss asks us all to like/share all posts put on Facebook & Instagram but I just flatly refuse. My social media profiles have nothing to do with my work. I avoided having my boss on Facebook for years until they added me whilst stood next to me at a social event.
I also got rid of Linked In because, despite being on there for networking, my boss kept making comments about Linked In clearly being for those people looking for a change. I just shut it down as I couldn't be dealing with the hassle.
I also got rid of Linked In because, despite being on there for networking, my boss kept making comments about Linked In clearly being for those people looking for a change. I just shut it down as I couldn't be dealing with the hassle.
LinkedIn in a cesspit for recruitment agencies. The recruiters all w
k each other off continually. Nothing remotely interesting to see other than how much I can get paid in a new role.
As for social media, I'd flat out refuse. The only reason I work is to earn money, and I have no loyalty to anyone but myself.
k each other off continually. Nothing remotely interesting to see other than how much I can get paid in a new role.As for social media, I'd flat out refuse. The only reason I work is to earn money, and I have no loyalty to anyone but myself.
Edited by goldar on Tuesday 29th November 19:15
The company I work for is useless. It's family run, man (banned director status on CH but just says he's a "contracts manager", his wife, their son and another lady. There is a massive turn over of staff and on Indeed there were reviews about how bad the company was, what they expect of you and also how lazy the supervisor is. All reviews were true and accurate. He found out about the reviews and somehow, managed to get them deleted and then sent us an email asking to put in favourable reviews to put his ratings back up to help him recruit more staff. He also said on Indeed he was going to take legal action against anyone who put negative reviews about the company.
We got asked to do this, like and hashtag stuff.
I’ve found the easiest policy is just to nod at these meetings and then not do it. We seem to have a decent number of attention-seekers who love all this wky st, so let them crack on I say.
I’ve been pulled up once “hey, can’t see you liking our stuff or posting using the agreed hashtags..”
“Sorry, been really busy, I’ll look into it when I have some time!” <I’m not looking into it..>
I’m pretty sure a company can’t insist you do it.
I’ve found the easiest policy is just to nod at these meetings and then not do it. We seem to have a decent number of attention-seekers who love all this w
ky st, so let them crack on I say. I’ve been pulled up once “hey, can’t see you liking our stuff or posting using the agreed hashtags..”
“Sorry, been really busy, I’ll look into it when I have some time!” <I’m not looking into it..>
I’m pretty sure a company can’t insist you do it.
As someone who:
- Runs a sales org at a tech company
- Utilizes LinkedIn as a very important sales / promotion and networking tool
- Personally utilizes LinkedIn for personal brand building
I can only say that all likes, comments and shares are appreciated
However... no company 'owns' your linkedin account or presence. They should not expect you to like / comment / share unless you want to and certainly should not punish if people don't. In my world, it is very popular because it promotes our company and our brand, which directly impacts our success, so most folks are bought in.
We have a slack channel where we post links to our linkedIn content and ask for likes / shares.. but all voluntary. If you won't want to, you don't have to or you don't even have to join the slack channel in the first place.
Totally voluntary in all aspects. Which is how it should be.
- Runs a sales org at a tech company
- Utilizes LinkedIn as a very important sales / promotion and networking tool
- Personally utilizes LinkedIn for personal brand building
I can only say that all likes, comments and shares are appreciated
However... no company 'owns' your linkedin account or presence. They should not expect you to like / comment / share unless you want to and certainly should not punish if people don't. In my world, it is very popular because it promotes our company and our brand, which directly impacts our success, so most folks are bought in.
We have a slack channel where we post links to our linkedIn content and ask for likes / shares.. but all voluntary. If you won't want to, you don't have to or you don't even have to join the slack channel in the first place.
Totally voluntary in all aspects. Which is how it should be.
Alorotom said:
NikBartlett said:
LinkedIn is not Facebook.
But it is. LI is not the business tool lots like to think of it as, it’s just a generic social media site replete with self gratification and fake stories. TUS373 said:
What is the general feeling these days about companies putting pressure onto employees to promote their businesses using the employees' own social media?
My company regularly asks me to share stuff on my LinkedIn feed - but there's no pressure. I usually do share as I am loyal to the company that pays my salary - it's also hardly controversial material.Were I to be 'pressured' into doing it, I would would respond negatively.
I got my job because it was advertised on Linkedin, probably wouldn't have otherwise seen it, so it does have some value but a lot of the content is tripe. At least we see fewer ttty "Branson" quotes that sad people post to try and "inspire" or some other crappy reason.
Your social media belongs to you unless you identify the company within your profile then you have a responsibility to uphold "their values"
Can you then force someone's behaviour on the platform? I think they can if you name the employer in any profile or use it to promote yourself as well as the business therefore linkedin is tricky as 99% of people name their employer in the profile so represent that org by default.
Twitter and facebook as above but mot don't cross work and facebook, twitter less so.
tty "Branson" quotes that sad people post to try and "inspire" or some other crappy reason.Your social media belongs to you unless you identify the company within your profile then you have a responsibility to uphold "their values"
Can you then force someone's behaviour on the platform? I think they can if you name the employer in any profile or use it to promote yourself as well as the business therefore linkedin is tricky as 99% of people name their employer in the profile so represent that org by default.
Twitter and facebook as above but mot don't cross work and facebook, twitter less so.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff