Internal comms best practices for social media policies

The killing of Charlie Kirk led to an outpouring of grief on social media – and a number of people celebrating. In some cases, employees were suspended or lost their jobs because of commentary that others found objectionable. This has led to an increased focus on social media usage and how employers should handle drafting or enforcing social media policies.

Roberto Munoz, CEO and founder of Munoz Communications, said that internal communicators hold the key to helping employees make good decisions about what to post online.

“Employees should remember they represent the company every time they post,” Munoz said. “Give them the tools, confidence and training to feel empowered and not nervous.”

A leader’s role in social media policy discussions

By working with leadership, communicators can develop an all-important sense of trust with employees during social media policy discussions.

Chris Pinto, managing director at Alder Street Collective, told Ragan that leaders need to be both candid and personal in their interactions with employees about the pitfalls of social media and why policies are constructed to help protect the company. These anecdotes can help the policy seem more concrete and provide more humanity.

“You need a personal message that addresses the environment that we’re living in and makes people aware of the unintended consequences of social media,” Pinto told Ragan.

Munoz said that in addition to endorsement from the top of the company, drafting an effective social media policy should involve a multi-department approach.

“Bring cross-functional partners in early, especially legal and HR,” he told Ragan. “Social isn’t a side-of-desk activity anymore and the legal and reputational stakes are high. A social media policy should have C-Suite sponsorship and visibility. Getting leaders involved in the policy signals to employees that it’s a strategic priority, not just a communications exercise.”

He added that the heart of the policy that leaders communicate should be a very simple one — even if it’s outside office hours, treat every social media post as if you’re at work.

“The same expectations apply to any interaction you’d have at work — what’s shared should align with the company’s code of conduct and the stated social media guidelines,” Munoz said. “This needs to be crystal clear up front to avoid any confusion or doubt.”

Distributing your social media policy effectively

The intent of a social media policy shouldn’t be to police people’s thoughts, but to serve as a reminder of the culture of the company. Munoz said that keeping the tone positive helps people feel less imposed upon.

“Deliver the message in the same language you use for everything else so it feels like a natural extension of the culture, not something foreign,” he said. “When you explain what to watch out for, keep the same tone. The guidelines shouldn’t feel punitive — the goal is for people to see the policy as part of how we work together, not a scary set of rules hanging over them.”

He added that this positive approach toward social media usage can generate a better reception as opposed to one that focuses on punishment and consequences for misuse of these platforms. Providing examples of good social media use can help make the concept more concrete for people.

“Instead of giving people a list of what not to do, explain what good looks like,” he said. “Be respectful, protect confidential info and use common sense when you’re engaging online. Share positive examples of employee advocacy posts that encourage people to represent the brand.”

Munoz recommended that internal comms pros take an active approach and instill the company’s social media policies into other forms of employee outreach. This will help normalize and streamline the process alongside adjacent comms efforts.

“Don’t just send out an all-employee email,” he said. “Make sure employees can find and digest it. Add it to onboarding, post it on your intranet, host refresher trainings and bake reminders into regular communications like all-hands or team meetings. A one-pager or FAQ document with links to the full policy can help people find answers fast when questions come up.”

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys watching Philly sports and hosting trivia.