WhatsApp-cceptable? | Should HR police employee phone messaging?

Red Bull F1 boss, Christian Horner is in the media spotlight following allegations of inappropriate messaging and behaviour towards another employee.

It’s a tale as old as the advent of the Smart phone and one which continues to catch up those who are loose-lipped when it comes to their personal messaging. So, if it’s catching out the big chiefs, is it not time that HR caught the trend and offered some training on how employees should manage their phone exchanges with colleagues?

The scandal centres upon allegations that Horner sent suggestive texts and intimate photographs to a female employee as apparently evidenced in a string of WhatsApp messages between the pair. The encrypted messaging device is becoming increasingly popular in the workplace as a way for colleagues to communicate with each other, particularly within teams that are ever more dispersed. However, as demonstrated by the Horner case and others before him, the informality of the messaging system and the ability to direct message and exchange photos can lead to problems in the workplace catapulting the risk of legal claims.

What’s A-ll the fuss?

Kelly Armitage, Technical HR Consultant, AdviserPlus, employee relations experts, says the situation surrounding Horner highlights a growing challenge for HR professionals, that of managing communication channels that blur the lines between work and personal life. “Platforms like WhatsApp, while convenient, can create ambiguity and pose potential risks if clear and accessible policies and guidelines aren't established.”