Orlando partner Rex Stephens was quoted in the Environmental Business Journal (Volume XXII, Number 10, 2009) article, "As Social Networking Takes Off, Businesses Should Consider Whether to Guide Employees' On-Line Conduct."
According to the article, the question today is not whether companies should encourage their employees to use social networking applications on company time, it's whether they should attempt to influence what they say and who they say it to through a social networking policy. If a company decides it would benefit from a social networking policy, the article suggests obtaining input from all areas of the company, not just marketing.
"The goal of the policy is to promote and guide communications in ways that fit the company's culture," said Stephens. "Define the company's culture and attitudes about technology." In addition, according to the article, companies should outline its goals, message and the image it wants to project, along with defining what is off limits, like spam and off-topic messages.
Stephens suggested adding that any messages that might act as the official position of the company should be approved by the company; identification of the author should not include logos, trademarks, or other intellectual property of the company without approval of the company; and an employee who comments on any aspect of the company's business must include a disclaimer that the views are his or her own and not those of the company.