The statistics are startling. Recent reports suggest that the rising tide in use of social networking sites like Twitter and MySpace is costing the UK economy £1.38bn per year and 57% of employees admit to using social networking sites during their works time for personal use and on average the staff surveyed were wasting 40 minutes a week on this.

Clearly, in addition to the harsh economic facts, the use of these sites is creating a wide range of other problems for employers. This situation continues to be compounded further with the continuing growth in use of Smartphones, which enable more employees to access these sites even when away from their PCs.

It is important for employers to realise that they have both the right and the duty to address both the costs and wasted time caused by staff members using social networking sites, and this can be effectively undertaken by controlling and disciplining the inappropriate behaviours that our clients frequently see.

The most common issue our clients raise with us is where an employee has posted an inappropriate comment as a status update about their employer, individual manager or colleagues.

Clearly, employers can enter into disciplinary processes if members of staff are using work time to do personal postings of any sort. However, it is less well understood that ‘inappropriate comments’ represent improper conduct – and that these issues can relate to behaviour outside of the workplace. So an employer is well within their rights to take action if an employee posts derogatory comments which bring their business into disrepute. The key to addressing the situation is through a fair process, acting consistently and making your expectations clear from the outset with a policy which addresses behaviour outside of work.

We take routine calls from employers who have seen comments posted by employees in the early hours stating that they had been out on the town that night and were drunk at the time of writing. It is often then no surprise when we learn that the employee called in sick the next day. With the correct guidance employers can use this insight to enable them to take disciplinary action because they have been aware of the true reasons for the employee’s absence.

It is important to address situations like this and those more generally relating to inappropriate comments, which could have a negative impact on your reputation and consequently profit margin. Employers are advised to make staff aware of the types of actions considered to be unacceptable. This could be done as simply as having a policy on social networking websites, or reminding an employee of the behaviour expected outside of work.

In addition to the issues with posting inappropriate comments, the use of social networking sites can, as shown in the reports cited above, also impact on productivity, particularly where access to such sites is not restricted. An employer doesn’t have to put up with unauthorised use of the internet during the day, and investment in IT software to monitor usage can make managing teams far easier and less stressful.

You must however be aware of the responsibilities which are imposed by the Human Rights Act 1998, the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. These legislations provisions detail a number of requirements that must be adhered to. Most importantly, it requires that all employees are notified if they are being monitored. Failure to adhere to the statutory requirements can cause a number of problems for an employer, not least potential criminal and civil repercussions.

I would urge all employers to keep on top of the social networking craze. You need to be aware of the sorts of problems that can arise, and of the behaviours that will cause them. Vitally, every employer should ensure their stance on the use is made clear from the outset and you should be prepared to take action where clear guidelines are being broken. Misuse can result not only in additional costs, and productivity losses, but also personal harassment for individuals, and reputational damage for a company.

As organisations grow, alongside the intense expansion of networking sites, the adverse costs of not addressing such issues can quickly mount up. Having both the correct policies and disciplinary procedures in place and access to experts to interpret your legal obligations, is vital for any business.

For more information please visit www.mhlsupport.com [1] or ring 0800 015 7541.