Why employers need clear policies on social media use

For better or worse, the fact is that most of your staff will use social media during their working day; how you react to it though is up to you.

Recent research from Office.Broker.com found that using social media could cost the UK £25.8billion annually, or £824 per employee, while a study earlier in the year revealed that Facebook was one of the top five workplace distractions.

Speaking to HR Grapevine, Barry Warne, Partner and Head of Employment at hlw Keeble Hawson, said it is essential that business owners and managers make their policies clear – and also remind their employees to keep their personal and work lives separate.

This issue has been aggravated this year after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling that private messages sent by staff on company software and web accounts during working hours can be read by the respective employer.