Dear Toby: HR Advice Column - Social Media Situation

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Submitted March 2025

Dear Toby, 

I manage a team in a customer-facing business, and recently a client complained about inappropriate language and alcohol-related posts one of our employees shared publicly on social media. I didn’t know about these posts, and now I’m worried about the impact on our reputation. What’s the best way to address this? 

-Concerned Manager 

Dear Concerned Manager, 

You’re right to take this seriously. Social media activity can reflect poorly (or positively) on your organization, especially if your company is public facing.

The best place to start is by checking your company’s social media and business code of conduct policies. If the company does not have these policies in place, it is recommended that you flag this to the company's HR team (or owners) so they can work on establishing and implementing these important policies to mitigate reputational and financial risk.  

Next, you'll want to have a conversation with the employee. In your conversation, express your concerns and reference the specific incident, focusing on the potential impact on the business and customer perception. If you have the above-noted policies in place, remind the employee of the company policies and ask them to review them as a refresher.

Next, outline your expectations regarding conduct on personal social media.  Make it clear that while you respect their privacy, their public facing position requires a level of discretion. You might suggest they review their social media privacy settings and ask them to give considerable thought to what they post publicly since there can be serious negative impacts to the company and to themselves professionally.  

For advice specific to your situation, and assistance in drafting any policy changes, consulting an HR professional is recommended.  

-Toby 

Disclaimer: The "Dear Toby" advice column is designed to provide general HR insights and guidance but should not be taken as legal advice. Every business and situation is unique, and employment laws vary by jurisdiction. Before implementing any advice from this column, we recommend consulting with a qualified HR professional or legal expert to ensure it aligns with your specific circumstances.