BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

A recent story in the National Law Journal looks at the range of legal problems employee blog posts - whether they' re sanctioned or not - can create. In the article, attorney Zachary Hummel claims that some employers give free rein to employees on corporate blogs as a way to monitor morale in the workplace. While (possibly) well intentioned, this approach does not bode well for a company' s digital presence.

Just like it is incumbent on employers to lay out clear policies on everything ranging from sexual harassment to illicit drug use, it is absolutely essential that they do the same for social media engagement so that their employees know beyond a shadow of a doubt what is acceptable behavior, and what is not.

Given the viral nature of the blogosphere and the fact that 71 percent of traditional journalists monitor blogs for story ideas, the legal, brand, and reputational liabilities of a free rein approach are simply too significant to justify its implementation. It' s almost always a good idea to allow employees an arena to vent about any frustrations or problems they may have - but the blogosphere is not the place to do it.

In the Information Age, best practices dictate that all companies should have some sort of social media engagement plan in place that educates employees as to the dangers of the blogosphere, encourages appropriate use, and monitors all mentions of the company brand. Companies like Sun Microsystems provide an excellent example of allowing employees to join the online conversation in ways that promote, rather than sully, the company' s image.

Furthermore, an effective blog monitoring program can help companies to dull the effects of disinformation in the blogosphere - a lesson that Apple and United Airlines have learned all too well in recent weeks.

Like any powerful tool, blogs and other social media outlets - such as Facebook - offer a wealth of opportunity if those managing them know how to use them safely. It' s up to employers to provide that training and ensure that their employees aren' t handed the keys before they are ready.