Facebook for dummies?
November 1st, 2008 by Jon Clements
What with hurling virtual food or sheep at your digital friends or being “bitten” by zombies, Facebook- not so long ago - seemed quite innocuous.
How times have changed.
The episode of the Aussie guy who goofed off work, tried to claim it as holiday but was rumbled by the HR department because of his Facebook status on the day in question (and I quote: “Kyle Doyle is not going to work. Fuck it I’m still trashed. SICKIE WOO!”), was, frankly, hilarious and probably caused a mass deletion of Facebook statuses worldwide, just in case.
But a harder edge to foul ups on Facebook was revealed last night as 13 Virgin Atlantic cabin crew now find themselves out of work after posting less than complimentary comments about Virgin passengers (”chavs”, apparently) and planes (”full of cockroaches”, allegedly).
People are paying the price for confusing conversations on Facebook with those they probably have in the relative privacy of the pub with a few mates or over the dinner table with their other half. Look folks, if you post it online, it’s thoroughly and absolutely find-able, whether you like it or not.
The Facebook thing also presents an internal communications challenge to companies, as the Virgin case smacks of stable doors and bolted horses. And sacking the offenders then turns it into an even bigger story.
Having HR policies is one thing, but staff are unlikely to be checking the company handbook while sounding off or making mischief about their working environment. After all, Facebook is personal publishing, giving immediate and unedited voice to millions who’ve been anonymous up to now.
Getting employees to understand the impact their ill-judged comments can have on the company is a communications job. But it’s one that is two-way and needs to be tackled before staff are using Web 2.0 to harm their employers and, in turn, themselves.
Tags: Facebook, Internal communications, online conversations, Virgin Atlantic, Web 2.0
