Remember that post you wrote about me on Facebook? You’re fired!

Believe it or not, the number of employees who hear this from their boss before getting the axe is likely to increase. Just a few years ago, Facebook was considered a taboo by the corporate world. Employers would not be allowed to access Facebook while in the office, which was bad news for the millions of Facebook users worldwide.

Today, a lot of companies have laid down their guard and allowed their employees to access the popular social networking website. This freedom, however, has come at a price. Small and large companies have begun to understand the importance of Facebook in determining the integrity and character of an employee and are looking to the social networking website to decide who deserves to be in their company.

RECRUITMENT
· The use of Facebook is not only limited to employee monitoring. Companies are also recognizing the role of Facebook in their recruitment process. A lot of companies take a look at the Facebook profile of their candidates to find out what they have really been up to.

CROSSING PRIVACY BORDERS
· So, why have companies signed up for a Facebook account? The social media website lets users create online profiles and share their deepest and darkest secrets with their friends. Unfortunately, these secrets don’t stop at just the friends. Almost anyone with an account on Facebook can view what a person has said, allowing employers with access to Facebook to view their employee’s profiles at their own will.

WHAT YOU TWEET MAY HURT YOU
· Today, recruiters have realized that information related to applicants is not limited to their resumes, experience letters, or recommendations. They have begun to understand the importance of social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook in finding out the truth about job applicants. While some companies have officially begun gathering information through social media tools, others are doing so unofficially. Either way, it is bad news for employees and job seekers.

SOCIAL MEDIA AS GOSSIP CENTRAL
· The use of Facebook as a recruitment and employee monitoring tool has now meant that employees and job applicants need to clean up their profiles immediately. They need to stop writing about things that may put an end to their career and cut off ties with others who may be doing such things. Employees need to stop gossiping about their company or their superiors through their website, as it may be considered to be a breach of privacy or security.

KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS TO YOURSELF – OR AT LEAST YOUR FRIENDS
· Job seekers also need to understand that their Facebook profile would come under scrutiny at any time. They need to keep their profile as clean as possible whenever they are applying for a job. Job seekers and employees need to refrain from racist groups or from making racist comments.

The open nature of Facebook was once considered to be a boon by many; a place where everyone could share everything with each other. However, the same features that made Facebook a popular online social hub have made it a danger zone for employees and job seekers. In fact, there have been instances of employees at high positions in a company being fired without second thought, just because he or she wrote some inappropriate comments on the website.

Jenny Ho, Managing Director, International Workplace Consulting Pte Ltd