How to Prevent Past Employees from Degrading Your Business on Social Media

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on September 15, 2017

Social media allows us to stay connected and say what’s on our minds, much like having circles of friends has done for thousands of years. Unfortunately, social media has one significant drawback that a circle of friends does not: it is public—and globally accessible.

When a former employee decides to vent their frustration on social media, your business could suffer.

Here’s how to address the problem before it gets out of hand:

Review Your Policies

Review and examine your company’s social media and business privacy policies. If the former employee is violating policies that were in place during their tenure, you may be able to send a cease and desist letter. If this isn’t an option in your current situation, tighten up your policies and invite the disgruntled former employee to air their grievances to you directly.

Report Offensive Content

Social media networks like Facebook and Twitter have systems to collect and track reports of offensive content and to address problems, including partial or total bans of users who post such content. If a former employee’s social media posts are defamatory or otherwise harmful to your business and you cannot convince the former employee to stop posting them, ask the social network’s support team to review the content and remove it.

Consult Your Lawyer

In some cases, asking employees to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) can forestall many negative posts or comments—as well as problems like sharing or leaking proprietary information. Talk to your attorney before implementing an NDA, however. Each state has specific rules about the use and enforceability of these agreements, and your options may depend on whether the employee is being hired, is currently with the company or has been fired.

Consult Your Recruiter

Your recruiter can help address the problem by seeking candidates whose cultural “fit” with your company works well, so your chances of needing to fire them are reduced and their goodwill is higher if downsizing is required.

At TERRA Staffing Group, our recruiters can help you find engaged, motivated employees who mesh well with your business’s existing culture, boosting morale and improving productivity on your team. Contact us today to learn more about our recruitment solutions in Phoenix, Seattle and Portland.

Keep Reading!

Related HR and recruitment topics to explore:

• 6 Tips for Letting an Employee Go
• How to Craft an Employee Referral Program That Will Bring in Great Candidates
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Tracking Hiring Outcomes

Categories: Employee Engagement Ideas, HR and Management Advice

Tags: Best Phoenix Staffing Firm, Employee Retention in Phoenix, Find a Recruiting Firm in Phoenix, How to Fire an Employee in Phoenix, How to Hire Talent in Phoenix, How to Stop Past Employees From Leaving a Bad Review Online, How to Stop Past Employees From Trashing You Online, Tips for Letting an Employee Go

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