Can employees expect a right to privacy in the workplace? Donovan shares his thoughts with Focus Week.
Donovan shares his views on privacy in the workplace with Focus Week in their September 10 – 16 edition. He also talks about whether companies should use social media screening on potential hires:
“Many companies now conduct social media checks when hiring… this can be useful if they yield legitimate reasons not to hire the candidate, for instance if the candidate has been dishonest about his employment history or qualifications or if he’s involved in illegal activities. On the other hand, they can also reveal positive things about a prospective employee, such as personal and professional accomplishments.”
He also discussed the viability of banning social media at work:
“Employers need to consider the implications before banning social media at work. Firstly, it may be a costly exercise since the appropriate IT infrastructure must be in place to effectively block all access to social media. Secondly, the effectiveness of such a ban may be questionable since employees will still have access to social media through their personal mobile devices.
Businesses must evolve with the times and even the Industrial Court has recognised that the use of Facebook and Instagram has enabled companies to be more competitive and be run more efficiently. However, the use of social media should never interfere with an employee’s productivity and it may be more appropriate for an employer to institute guidelines on social media use rather than making a futile attempt like a blanket ban. Besides, giving employees this freedom can actually inculcate loyalty to the company, and in turn, boost the company’s productivity.”
Focus Week can be purchased from newsstands or in digital copies. Read the article here.
You can also read our previous article on privacy in the workplace or go through our other articles on personal data protection and employment law.
