BUSINESS

  PERSONNEL POINTERS

COVER SOCIAL MEDIA USE

CREATE A SET OF GUIDELINES FOR THESE PLATFORMS

TRUDI CHAREST, R.O.

LOOK AROUND your office. Both patients — and your staff — are likely checking their social media channels. As you have observed, social media is in eye care practices — and it’s not going anywhere. Do you embrace it or outlaw it?

Many practices tell employees they cannot access social media during the day unless it is part of their job description. In fact, a study by Robert Half Technology notes that 54% of companies in the U.S. ban the use of social media sites altogether. Is that protecting productivity or counterintuitive to productivity? A new study by Warwick Business School reveals that employees who used social media during the workday tended to be more creative and collaborative, leading to increased productivity. What’s the answer for your practice? Setting a policy around its use is the smart choice:

SETTING THE GUIDELINES

• Be clear about social media use at the office. Write out expectations in a policy, and include all social channels. Also include what is considered personal use and what is business use. As new channels surface, update your policy.

• Protect the practice’s reputation. What your employees post, both during work hours or personal time, reflect the organization. Talk with them about how social media affects a business, and encourage them to stay professional in all communications.

• Access to personal social media during work hours. Give specific instruction on when and how employees can check their social channels. Some allow it during a break in the a.m. and p.m. or at lunch. Other practices have a “no social media” policy, which is out of date. Millennial employees have grown up with social media; asking them to go eight hours without it will be torture. Instead, incorporate it into their work day.

• Set expectations. Areas to address include proper language, grammar, patient permissions and confidential information and unprofessional graphics or jokes. For the practice’s social channels, have a double-check process with management or senior team members when a new staff member posts.

• Need help writing a social media policy? Just check the Internet. There are lots of samples with just a quick Google search.

Courtesy of 2009 Robert Half International study

BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Teach members of your team how to grow your business through Instagram posts, Tweets and other social channels so they feel empowered and involved. Doing so may get you some new business while employees stay productive. OM

DR. CHAREST is the Co-Founder of 4ECPs, a practice management resource company for eyecare professionals. 4ECPs has three divisions including Eyecare Jobs, Marketing & Training. Visit www.4ecps.com or email trudi@4ecps.com.