As more Canadians log on, online harassment issues can increase
If the Internet had a “like” button, Canadians wouldn’t be able to click on it enough.
Canada spent more time online than any other nation in the world —43.5 hours online per month in the fourth quarter of 2010, nearly double the worldwide average, according to measurement firm comScore.
And when it comes to socializing on the Internet, the statistics are just as impressive.
The number of Canadians using social media increased 13 per cent in 2010, while about 96 per cent of the online population visited a social networking site.
Social media’s rapid penetration in Canadians’ daily lives, of course, isn’t without potential for harm.
“There has been an explosion of the use of social media — such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn — and this media is a new tool for harassers to use,” says Kevin MacNeill, a partner in Heenan Blaikie’s labour and employment law department in Toronto. “It’s particularly a problem because it can be done anonymously and the effects of online harassment can be widespread and lasting.”
Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter provide a new means to bully or harass co-workers — one that is quick and easy for a harasser to use and could go undetected by employers.
Posing a new challenge for Canadian companies, managers now have to be vigilant not only about what goes on in their office, but also in a vast virtual world.
Jennifer Bond, an associate at McMillan LLP’s labour and employment relations group in Toronto, says Canadian companies are starting to spring into action to deal with this emerging threat.
While social media has recently risen as a subject of litigation for corporate Canada, some firms are taking measures to monitor employees’ online activity by setting up Google alerts and tracking web posts related to the company.
One of the most important steps, however, is to ensure workplace policies are updated so they incorporate social media usage.
“It’s important to have something laid out, something to point to, if employees violate your social media and harassment rules. They need to know what comes of it,” Bond says.
Yet the use of social media is in a grey zone: employees use it both on and off company time, new online platforms pop up often and the line between work and play is blurry.
To address these issues, Bond stresses the importance of broad and thorough policies that bring together various company departments.
“Companies have to integrate social media policies with their computer policies, workplace violence and harassment policies and so on. It has to apply to all online activities, on and off company time,” she says. “Draft it broadly to ensure you catch everything.”
While workplace policies help establish an employer’s stance on harassment and social media use, it should also be supported with training.
Holding education sessions about employees’ responsibilities to be respectful, and the impact online harassment can have on personal and company reputations, may prove even more crucial than policies or monitoring online activities.
“If you can change the culture and thinking within an organization, there’s a greater chance that instances of harassment will decrease,” MacNeill says.
Organizations should have a positive approach to social media, said Ian Barr, vice president of Rocket XL in Toronto, a social media digital marketing agency.
Much of the workforce has grown up with the Internet their whole life and companies that restrict access to social networking sites may encounter difficulties attracting top talent.
“Companies have to think of each employee using social media as having the potential to be an ambassador of your brand,” Barr says. “Empowering them means you have a built-in word-of-mouth tool that has tremendous access and reach.”
Even the federal government — in hopes civil servants will dialogue with the public and share government information — issued its own set of rules for bureaucrats’ communication on social media sites in November last year.
“By virtue of your employment, information shared through Web 2.0/social media tools and services may be perceived as an official Government of Canada position rather than your own opinion,” the rules say.
And while people are increasingly having online conversations, Barr suggests companies should create another for employees to use — a forum to report online harassment, bullying or disparaging comments about a firm.
With the fast-paced changes happening in social media, companies must be vigilant about new potential sources of workplace harassment.
“Keep up with the times,” Bond stresses. “A company’s policies have to adapt accordingly to various changes in technology.”
Canada spent more time online than any other nation in the world —43.5 hours online per month in the fourth quarter of 2010, nearly double the worldwide average, according to measurement firm comScore.
And when it comes to socializing on the Internet, the statistics are just as impressive.
The number of Canadians using social media increased 13 per cent in 2010, while about 96 per cent of the online population visited a social networking site.
Social media’s rapid penetration in Canadians’ daily lives, of course, isn’t without potential for harm.
“There has been an explosion of the use of social media — such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn — and this media is a new tool for harassers to use,” says Kevin MacNeill, a partner in Heenan Blaikie’s labour and employment law department in Toronto. “It’s particularly a problem because it can be done anonymously and the effects of online harassment can be widespread and lasting.”
Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter provide a new means to bully or harass co-workers — one that is quick and easy for a harasser to use and could go undetected by employers.
Posing a new challenge for Canadian companies, managers now have to be vigilant not only about what goes on in their office, but also in a vast virtual world.
Jennifer Bond, an associate at McMillan LLP’s labour and employment relations group in Toronto, says Canadian companies are starting to spring into action to deal with this emerging threat.
While social media has recently risen as a subject of litigation for corporate Canada, some firms are taking measures to monitor employees’ online activity by setting up Google alerts and tracking web posts related to the company.
One of the most important steps, however, is to ensure workplace policies are updated so they incorporate social media usage.
“It’s important to have something laid out, something to point to, if employees violate your social media and harassment rules. They need to know what comes of it,” Bond says.
Yet the use of social media is in a grey zone: employees use it both on and off company time, new online platforms pop up often and the line between work and play is blurry.
To address these issues, Bond stresses the importance of broad and thorough policies that bring together various company departments.
“Companies have to integrate social media policies with their computer policies, workplace violence and harassment policies and so on. It has to apply to all online activities, on and off company time,” she says. “Draft it broadly to ensure you catch everything.”
While workplace policies help establish an employer’s stance on harassment and social media use, it should also be supported with training.
Holding education sessions about employees’ responsibilities to be respectful, and the impact online harassment can have on personal and company reputations, may prove even more crucial than policies or monitoring online activities.
“If you can change the culture and thinking within an organization, there’s a greater chance that instances of harassment will decrease,” MacNeill says.
Organizations should have a positive approach to social media, said Ian Barr, vice president of Rocket XL in Toronto, a social media digital marketing agency.
Much of the workforce has grown up with the Internet their whole life and companies that restrict access to social networking sites may encounter difficulties attracting top talent.
“Companies have to think of each employee using social media as having the potential to be an ambassador of your brand,” Barr says. “Empowering them means you have a built-in word-of-mouth tool that has tremendous access and reach.”
Even the federal government — in hopes civil servants will dialogue with the public and share government information — issued its own set of rules for bureaucrats’ communication on social media sites in November last year.
“By virtue of your employment, information shared through Web 2.0/social media tools and services may be perceived as an official Government of Canada position rather than your own opinion,” the rules say.
And while people are increasingly having online conversations, Barr suggests companies should create another for employees to use — a forum to report online harassment, bullying or disparaging comments about a firm.
With the fast-paced changes happening in social media, companies must be vigilant about new potential sources of workplace harassment.
“Keep up with the times,” Bond stresses. “A company’s policies have to adapt accordingly to various changes in technology.”
