Social Networking at Workplace

Question: Discuss about the Social Networking at Workplace. Answer: Introduction Todays work environment is evolved from gossiping around the office premises to a series of likes, shares and tweets. Companies are recognizing the influence of social media in the workplace and its consequences. Social networking plays multiple roles in the workplace. It is a medium used to build relations with one another. Majorly it is a platform to build a strong relationship with the other employees. Today employers are using Facebook as a medium to screen the employees behavior. The main focus is to keep an eye over their activity. Employers are using Facebook and other social networking to screen the behavior of the present employees. It is justified with a theory that, the social networking is a personal platform which should not be used as a medium to judge personal life (Morgan, 2014). In recent years the recognition of social media has spread multiple times. The constant flow of information has created a more complex environment. Because information is available to anyone, the ability to use it in new ways has become an important characteristic of the current business atmosphere. Human has moved from the industrial era to the information era. Various reports show that, the use of global social media has increased greater. But the use of social media is an added advantage for the organization to create awarenesss (Jue et al, 2009). Social media is a significant platform to exchange information. It is affecting the personal and professional life of people largely. It is due to the social media which is creating a large difference in the life of people. It is a tool to overcome the differences which are caused due to continuous intervention. An employer keeps an eye on the activity of the employees activities. It is an unethical behavior per the privacy act. A result suggested that the employers are using social networking to find information about the candidate and his character. They are using social networking to monitor the activity of the employees. Some organization believes that, keeping an eye on employees helps the company to protect from any future wrong. Employees are disgracing the organization through social networking. It causes tensions and complete chaos in the organization. This may damage the reputation of the company. It can even lead to serious legal issues. Companies should not use social networking to check the social background of the candidate, whereas it is the duty of the employees not to defame the organization on the social platform. This is affecting the regulatory framework (Should Companies Monitor Their Employees' Social Media, 2014). Everyone is familiar with the term ethics and ethical conduct. It is associated with the words right and good, along with their opposites wrong and bad. In ethical terms right has different meaning. These are the obligations and duties towards others. The aim to understand ethical conduct is to improve the moral functioning of an individual (Shaw, 2016). Business ethics examines that ethical principles are well implemented in business environment. In this age of transformation, business ethics are a necessity to imply in day-to-day smooth functioning (Fryer, 2014) The internet has changed many human resource practices, and techniques of recruitment. However, the use of social networking website such as MySpace, Face book, LinkedIn for recruitment, hiring, and terminating individual is a new concept. Workplace ethics and behavior is an important dimension of an employment (Davison et. al, 2011). Ethics and behavior are equally important for the growth of the company as profits and team-work. The employee has to adhere to the guidelines which are issued by the company. Profits are subject to fluctuation, but business ethics helps in achieving overall goals without any extra costing. The impact of social media is increasing at the workplace. This growing trend is affecting the relationship in between managers, employees, and job applicants. It can change the boundaries between professional and personal life. Using social networking at workplace reflects the poor policies of the organization (Byrnside, 2008). Employers are using social networking profiles to shortlist the candidates for recruitment purpose. It is illegal to judge employment decision on the basis of social networking profile. The information available there is not fair and true to decide the fortune of the applicant. It is directly an invasion of privacy, discrimination, and violation of fair terms of service. They are keeping a check over employees daily activities. The use of social networking to make HR decisions is definitely on the rise. (Davison et. al, 2011). An organization culture comprise of the beliefs, values, and practices that have evolved for solving stakeholder relationship (Jones et al, 2007). To fight with the unethical HR practices at workplace, it is necessary to stick to the ethical and stakeholder theory. They focus on whistle blowing the awkward situations (Landers Schmidt, 2016). Interest of the business depends on the stakeholders. It is necessary to balance the rights of the employees. This is an unethical mean to judge an applicant s future (Trevino Weaver, 2003). Employers are using social networking to keep a check over employees activities. They keep an eye on the activities of the employees, to check whether employees are saying wrong things about the company. Employees should avoid adding false information, which can later harm them. Stakeholder theory helps in understanding the relationship in between internal and external group. They help in achieving the overall goal of the organization. It largely depends on the kind of relation one have with the outsiders. The interest of an organization lies in employees interest. The organization interest lies with the fulfillment of the goals of its employees. Social media can hinder the overall growth of an organization if misused. Older workers who continue to work have a different attitude from the young workers. These workers are persistent in the work, despite of continuing age difference. Older workforce have positive attitude towards their work. They are favored by the employers due to their dedication and positive attitude. Younger employees have different attitude towards posting things on social networking. They have no idea about adding inappropriate things on their profile. The younger generation is more expressive and impulsive. They follow a different value system based on their own knowledge and standards. They dont want to be questioned on the ground of ethics and values. Neither, have they wanted any kind of interference by employers in their personal life. The social networking profile is their personal place to post or share photos and comments. These conflicting situations are creating the problem. On one hand social networking sites are providing scholarly study whereas, there are subtexts l ike Facebook and twitter is causing damage to the internal structure of the organization. Employers are accessing employees profile to keep a check on their daily activity (Stoughton, J. et al.2015). It is due to their difference of attitude towards work. Younger generation seek more freedom and non-interference. The decision to ban or not to ban use of social networking by the employers need to be given importance. Employers should ensure that the policies are being adhered properly. The growing desire of social networking is due to enlarging friends circle. Vulnerabilities threaten the integrity of network security. One should understand the necessity to separate social and private life. But, collecting information from ones profile to judge their employability is not an ethical thing. As per the Australia law, retrieving personal information from personal profile is an illegal act. Employers are spying on their team profile to see, what they talk about their organization. They se e employees personal views about organization, their habits, etc. they judge employees credibility depending on their profile. But this does not provide employees the right to retrieve personal information from their profile. Sometimes the information mentioned is totally different from what they are. Taking decisions on the basis of profile is not fair on long run. Every employee has different views about their workplace. No employer has an authority to check employees personal actions to judge his professional life. This generation is more expressive about what they feel. Blogs, social networking is becoming a platform to express feelings. These days organizations are setting certain norms and conditions in advance. This measure is used to seek employee assistance in managing workplace ethics. They are mentioning in advance not to publish offensive information about the company. Employers need to find a middle way which satisfies everyones motive. A progressive employee focuses on interest of the organization and its employees. It is due to the changing behavior and growing social circle. Forward looking managers recognize the existing potential of the social media and incorporate them into the internal communication. A manager should improve idea by asking employees the processes which are not working properly and provide possible solutions to correct them. He should engage employees with the responsibility to go online to gather information. He should take employees advice to make the workplace more interesting. He should be focused on creating more effective communication in between employees and organization. Emplo yees who feel respected become an asset to the organization. Above all, employees wanted to be seen as real people. Face to face conversation with the employees can be an added advantage. The use of social media at workplace give arises to the new issues. It needs to be taken in a positive spirit (Rasmussen et al, 2012). The introduction of a social networking inside a large organization enables communication, both personal and professional. Internal use of intranet helps in building strong bond in between employees and the employers. It helps in providing huge motivation for professional development (Strater Lipford, 2008). In a good economy, unemployment is low and confidence is high. The younger generation is first to find a new job. Younger generation tend to switch from one job to another. A recent trend shows that, due to impulsive nature they jumpfrom one job to another in case of low job satisfaction (Edwards, 2016). Blurred social media boundaries have increased privacy related issue in an organization. Today, the employer emphasizing on employees online activities by monitoring their social media profile, evaluating applicants on the basis of their profile; moreover, they are limiting employees online activities. Young generation is more carefree than older generation. Despite giving employers all the access to the social networking profile, they want a segregated professional and private life (Abril et al, 2012)a study shows that continuous use of Facebook causes a treat to privacy. Social networking use is causing a big time threat to the personal privacy; whereas one ignores that their profi le is visible to a large section. Most users do not understand the restrictive use of social media. Restricting it to only close acquaintances will help in resolving the privacy threat. This generation is less careful about expressing their views through social media. Every detail about personal life is shared through Facebook, twitter, MySpace, etc. employers are becoming more attentive. They are using the social media as a tool to check the genuineness. They use it to see whether the employees are saying the truth or not. Nowadays, they are using social networking to cross check their activities outside the workplace. Some of the organizations are strict for using social networking at workplace. They keep a check on employees activities at workplace by keeping a continuous check. Personal information which cannot be asked in general interviews is retrieved through social networking (Rebecca et al., 2016). Todays generation is posting every small detail on their profile. The employ er finds it an easy way to gather information to shortlist the employees. Some considers it as an unethical practice some dont. But social networking is affecting the personal life. The only solution to this problem is by finding a middle way which resolve the ongoing war in between employees and employers(Debatin,2009). A large section of society has become obsessed with using social networking asa tool to share their personal life on a social platform. The young generation doesnt understand to limit sharing their life events on social networking. Implementing a social media policy makes a business fair in legal sense. It helps in managing employees by limiting their exposure to expensive legal problems. It provides information to the employees to use the social media in a responsible manner. It should contain a mix of guidelines pertaining to code of conduct. Effective rule includes provisions regarding appropriate language and content. It helps in avoiding serious issues that can arise when an employee misuses the social media. The organization following soft HRM practices is considered as the unitarist approach. These practices are harmonious in the interest of the organization. Pluralist approach recognizes the different approaches of the employees. It is noticed that strategic HRM is implemented to show the relationship within the organization. An aggressive strategy of human resource enhances the productivity, but hurts the sentiments of the employees. Strategic human resource management is not employees centric, but causes high level of job insecurity. It is noticed that the strategic HRM in the region of the Australia is a mixture of both. There is a necessity to draw the policies which helps in building mutual cooperation between employees and employers. Corporation has a social responsibility to help in overall well being of the communities by the compliance of business ethics and standards. It is the duty of the manager to harness mutual cooperation in the organization. Workplace ethics are an important aspect to be followed regularly. Employer needs to motive an employee towards positivity. The only solution to this problem is mutual understanding(Zgheib,2014). The technology has exerted large influence on the way of life. The modified concept of motivations has lead to many issues n day-to-day life. The event of internet abuse can only be controlled by keeping a check over the activities of the employees. There is a necessity to incorporate workplace ethics in regular life. It will enhance the overall productivity of an organization (Simmers et al, 2006) Conclusion: It is clear that social networking sites are causing major issue to the well being of the organization. Social networking plays multiple roles in an organization. Facebook is used by the employers for checking the activity of the employees. Vulnerabilities threatens the integrity of network security should not be used as a medium to judge. There is a necessity to draw the policies which helps in building mutual cooperation between employees and employers. The recent research has shown the trends related to employees using social networking in the benefit of the organization. Most of the decisions are based on information visible at social networking. This simply shows professional interference in employees personal space. Social networking is a place to share personal opinion, what one feels about. Professional etiquettes dont allow any employer to judge the character of an employee from his social profile. Moreover, it is the duty of the employees to restrict them by posting limited information. They should avoid posting wrong and defaming information. They should not write any offensive information on their social profile which may damage the interest of the organization. There is a need to build a friendly atmosphere in between employer and employee. 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