Home topics small-business-resources hot-tips Hot Tips Social Media Hot Tips Keeping employees off the social media black list Lorna Brett November 22, 2011 For businesses, social media is a useful tool for communicating and collaborating with customers, colleagues and new prospects. But it also brings a level of risk to a business – so how are you meant to balance the good and the bad? Here are some tips. According to Clearswift regional director Phil Vasic, social media brings risk and reward to business in equal measure. Information security is a key concern. Many organisations view social media channels as another way for sensitive data to escape from the business, whether accidentally or maliciously. On top of this, senior management may be concerned about the amount of time employees spend on social networks. Organisations using content and web security technology can manage the way their staff use email and the internet without having to resort to a default position of mistrust. With a whopping third of ANZ employers completely blocking social media access at work, there’s a real danger of throwing the benefits of collaboration out with the risks. Here are Vasic’s tips for ensuring communication flows freely in your business, without losing sight of acceptable use policies: Trust breeds responsibility: People underestimate the amount of company time they spend on personal browsing. Allow staff to view their own web usage and foster more responsible behaviour without undermining trust. Know limits: Set clear limits on personal surfing and communicate them