In today’s challenging environment, to attract and retain great staff, and to stay out of regulatory troubles, restaurant owners and managers should specifically guide staff on social media use in and out of the workplace. Especially the food service and hospitality industry, social media is now considered a “must have.” No doubt nearly all your staff have smart phones and, in most cases, they have them while they are at work, further complicating the issue.
Our restaurant consultants have uncovered many articles regarding social media policies and enforcing them in the workplace. Specifically, Workable has published some great guidelines to consider.
First a policy brief & purpose should state the following:
“Social media company policy provides a framework for using social media. Social media is a place where people exchange information, opinions and experiences to learn, develop and have fun. Whether employees are handling a corporate account or use one of their own, they should remain productive. This policy provides practical advice to avoid issues that might arise by careless use of social media in the workplace.”
And the scope requires all employees to follow your policy:
Policy elements – “Social media” refers to a variety of online communities like blogs, social networks, chat rooms and forums. Your social media policy should cover all these components. You need to consider two elements in your policy: using personal social media at work and representing your company through social media.
National Restaurant Consultants can assist food service operators to address this ever-growing business need as part of your employee handbooks and staff policies and procedures. Contact a restaurant consultant today.
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