Wake up to what your employees are doing on social media

News that school districts in the US are banning teachers from having contact with their pupils (and in some cases ex-pupils) on social media has caused a rumpus.   Some say it is a restriction on free speech, whilst others point to the fact that 80 teachers in Missouri alone lost their licences in the last four years through sexual misconduct with pupils, some of which began on social media.  One district in Cincinnati in making a policy tried to make themselves look as if they were ahead of the curve.  They said social media was "growing" and they wanted to set a "forward thinking policy setting some parameters".  The "parameters" turn out to be a total ban on teachers relating to students on social media or via instant messaging.

This may or may not be a necessary policy.  I'm not qualified to judge.   But social media isn't just "growing".  It's here.  It's ubiquitous.  And students have been using it for several years.  Who invented Facebook again?  Oh yes, a college student.   Several years ago.

The dear folks of Cincinnati may be trying to dress up their slowness in getting a social media policy as "forward thinking" but at least they've got one.

I'm amazed as I speak at events round the world and ask delegates how many people do not have a social media policy for employees, how many hands go up.

The incident in 2009 at Dominos Pizza in the US, where two low-rent employees made a disgusting video at work which was posted up on You Tube (and viewed a million times within days) was a wake-up call to organisations that they need to discuss with their staff the benefits and risks of social media.  Dominos used the opportunity to re-engage with their staff worldwide on this topic.  Employees need to understand why rules are needed.  Few employees start work each day wanting to do a bad job, or wanting to badly damage the company.

When designing a social media policy for your organisation, talk to your employees first and listen to them.  You don't have the monopoly on wisdom.

Your social media policy will vary depending on the kind of organisation you run.

If your company is concerned with the preparation or service of food, if you allow camera enabled cellphones in the workplace, you are risking your entire business.  Employees should surrender their cellphones before starting, and reasonable use of the house phone for urgent family members is easy to allow.

Although less about social media, there are similar considerations if your employees use computer screens at work that show potentially sensitive information, such as financial information, which could be captured.

You should also think about whether you want to allow employees to say where they work on social media.   If they do, their behaviour, much of which is their business, will become yours.

In some jobs, because the employee is prominent or front-of-house, it may be obvious the person is your employee and they need to take special care in what they write.

A number of years ago a broadcast journalist boasted on social media of the number of women he had slept with.  It was such a huge number, you marvelled that there had been any time to appear on air.  The broadcaster thought it brought discredit to them because everyone knew who this individual was.

It's not just the fact that your employee works for you that raises issues, it's whether they talk about their life at work.  It might be fine, for example, if you run a cool coffee shop, to see one of the baristas enthusing about his work and his customers.  But what if he talks disparagingly about an especially irritating customer?  Or a co-worker that gets on his nerves?  Not so good.

In some companies, by talking about their life at work, employees can inadvertently disclose security arrangements, or private company procedures, without realising what they are doing.

One dedicated but exhausted US teacher sounded off on Facebook about her pupils (she had had a very bad day) not realising the privacy settings had changed.  What she thought were private remarks were seen by everyone, including her pupils.  Despite a blameless long career, she was fired.  Best not to talk about work online.

The important thing about having a social media policy for employees is not to restrict them, it is to make them think about what they are doing.  Employees on the whole like knowing what's expected of them. They like being engaged on issues so they understand the risks and how to get it right.

One of the first organisations off the blocks in the UK was the BBC, who were concerned in the early days of social media that staff might express political views on social media and threaten their reputation as a strictly impartial broadcaster.  Their social media policy is used by many companies as a template.

Develop your own policy, but do it now!



(Posted from Changi Airport, Singapore)

Liege and the importance of the press conference

The terrible aftermath of the shootings in Liege on 13th December are a reminder that all local authorities must have plans in place to deal with the unimaginable.

The press conference (above) held by the authorities on the 13th outlines the scale of the shocking minutes of terror, injury and death for local people.

The Straits Times in Singapore devotes a page this morning to a decade of shootings across Europe, including the 2010 attacks in Cumbria, North West England in which 12 people were shot dead, and the deaths of 69 young people on the island of Utoya, Noway in July.    The Straits Times calls the Liege shootings a "chilling addition to a long list of similar attacks that have blighted Europe over the last 10 years".  The paper notes the Liege shootings come alongside the shooting of two Sengalese men in Florence, Italy by a far-right author, who then killed himself.

The page provides ample evidence as to why every local authority must have a major incident crisis plan.  Any such plan must include potential arrangements for a press conference.   It's where things sometimes go wrong.

A press conference is an efficient and fair way to distribute information in an emergency.  It will establish your organisation as the authoritative source of information about the incident.  It is a way of dispelling rumour with facts.  It also enables you to publicly show care and compassion.

There are some useful things to check as part of your plan.

1.  Identify a suitable location for a press conference and an alternative should that location not be available.   It's a good idea to consult local TV colleagues who will be glad to help you with advice as to the suitability of a location for TV positions and links.  Remember today most 24 hour news channels will carry press conferences "live" and will not thank you for holding them in a location which makes this difficult.  The venue needs to be co-operative enough to make itself available at very short notice, so it is better, but not essential, if it is a public building.

2.  Your venue must be suitable in size and dignity to host a press conference which may be to announce large numbers of deaths.   Think about whether there can be a raised platform, and a raised platform at the back for TV cameras, and whether you can have a backdrop (in London the Metropolitan Police do this very well).  There is no time to do this on the day.

3.  Identify the personnel you would need - types and numbers of people - and don't forget you will need security to ensure only authorised media are admitted - be careful that there may be people who wish to disrupt the event.  You will need staff to record the names of those attending, as you may wish to contact them afterwards.

4.  Work out how you will advise the media that there is to be a press conference.  Be careful not to commit too far in advance as you will lose credibility if a press conference is trailed on TV and doesn't happen.  The media are entitled though to adequate notice to make technical preparations.  It's helpful to tell media, for example, that while you don't know the exact time of a press conference yet, if there is one it will be in "x" building.  Then they can begin logistical preparations.   But be careful not to promise a press conference which may not happen.

5.  Have "toblerones" (name cards for tables) ready to put participants names on them on the press conference table in your crisis tool box.  Most media present will not be familiar with the participants and it helps TV viewers, too.

7.  Training - it's very important that as part of crisis training, you include training in handling a press conference.  Mock press conferences are easy to stage and senior officials should be mandated to attend this type of training at least once a year.

These arrangements will get you off to a good start in the event of an emergency and will help you avoid some basic pitfalls - like holding press conferences on a pavement, which should never happen.


(Posted from Singapore)

Product tampering always an emergency

News breaking on 30 November that customers of a Walmart store in Cartersville, Ga, US, have pricked themselves with needles hidden in clothing products was yet another example of product contamination and the need for companies to respond quickly to such an event.

14-year-old Courtney Worthington was trying on some pyjamas bought for her by her mother in the Walmart store when a hypodermic needle pricked her finger and foot in an alarming incident for the teenager. A second shopper, Patricia Heidrick, reported she had been pricked by a needle hidden in women's apparel at the same store.  Further needles were found in other clothing products.

Apart from the injury, the risk of contracting HIV from a contaminated needle (should they turn out be to be so) is real.  Post exposure prophylaxis treatment should be given within 72 hours of suspected or possible HIV infection (and preferably within one hour) and it is expensive.  Monitoring over a period of months is required.

Walmart responded quickly.   They said they believed this was confined to one store.   There was initial confusion as to whether the company would pay the customers medical costs relating to the incident (a big issue in the US where costs are high - one estimate is USD 1300 for the prophylactic treatment alone).  According to one report,  Mrs Heidrick said Walmart wouldn't talk to her about medical costs.   A Walmart spokesman said  "Walmart has reached out to Ms Heidrick.  If any our our customers were harmed, we will gladly pay for any valid expenses."

The tampering so far does appear to be confined to one store and it's not yet clear who is behind this potentially serious criminal action.

What are the principles when handling product tampering or contamination?

They were established in the Tylenol crisis in the 1980s in the US, a defining moment in dealing with product tampering.

1.  Customer safety must come first.  If there are suspicions of tampering, immediate action to protect customers must come before anything else, whatever the price tag, if you want to maintain trust in your brand.  Amazingly, on December 6, more needles were still being found in clothing at the store.  The probability is that the metal detectors being used to check stock were not sensitive enough to pick up the needles (or the culprit was still planting them).  Either way, it's not good news for customer trust in Walmart.  Close the section and search the items one by one, by hand if necessary.

2.  If you are a chain, you must have a clearly understood emergency system of alerting all branches if tampering is suspected.

3.  If you sell something, even is tampering is not your fault, it is your responsibility - so be seen to take responsibility for sorting it out and protecting customers.

4.  Care and compassion are the guiding principles of dealing with affected customers.  Ms Heidrick didn't seem to feel she had Walmart's full support.  The word "valid" in Walmart's statement is odd.   I would have made this statement unequivocal.  If a doctor recommended prophylaxis (which they may not, there are significant side effects) I would have paid for it without question and I am sure Walmart will.  Try to make unequivocal statements.

5.  Walmart did the right thing by getting out there and making clear public statements.  They may have had police advice that it was likely this was an isolated incident and it's reassuring to say so, but be careful.  Like the Tylenol crisis, the trouble may spread and then your credibility is damaged.  This story was active on Twitter with alarmed customers, it's not immediately clear that Walmart were involved in the conversation.

6. It's important you tell customers afterwards what you are going to do to prevent the issue happening again.  In this case, that is going to be difficult.  After Tylenol, tamper proof medicine bottles were introduced which gave the public confidence.

Walmart is a giant company with a strong reputation.   They have incidents and a well-oiled machine for dealing with them.  So far it looks like this incident is contained.   It's important not to over-react in where the situation is a local one, but the health and safety of your customers must always be your first priority.  If you do not have their trust, you have no business.




(Posted from Singapore)

The power of explanation in a crisis

In a crisis, people are more likely to co-operate with instructions if they know the reason why.

On an overnight flight from London to Dubai this week on the way to speak at the IQPC CMO Congress, our sleep was interrupted by a call over the PA.  "If there is a medical doctor on board will you please make yourself known to a member of the crew."   (I'm often surprised that there is almost always a doctor on board every aircraft - there are either a lot of doctors in the world, or the ones that there are travel a lot).  There was a medical emergency with a passenger.

A doctor duly came forward and the decision was taken to continue to Dubai, where we were met by an emergency medical team and ambulance.

Have you ever noticed that when a plane reaches the gate, people seem to leap out of their seats as if a spring had propelled them upwards?  They rush to get their stuff from the overhead lockers like their lives depended on it.  Then they stand in the aisles for ten minutes waiting for the airbridge to connect.  It's a global ritual, and people are very competitive about it.

On this occasion, the pilot came on the PA as he taxied from the runway. He explained that a passenger had been involved in a medical emergency and we were going to be met by a team.  Would we all help by staying in our seat with our seat belts on so the team could have free access to do what they needed?

And everybody did.  There were no complaints, no muttering and no tutting, even though people's sleep had been disturbed and we were feeling a bit crotchety. Because the passengers knew that by doing this they were helping the sick passenger and the crew.

It struck me that this is also true in a crisis.

In an emergency, of course, your message has to be very simple.  If the building is on fire, the fire alarm is a way of shouting "get out" at people.  No need for pleasantries.

However, in many crises, the need is less obviously so urgent.  It's important we tell people why we need them to do things.  In the 7/7 London bombings, for example, we asked people to stay in their buildings and not go on the street.  We explained this was because there could be other bombs.  They understood the reason and they stayed in.

A simple explanation can be very powerful.  "Do this" and "this is why".  Unless there is a threat to life -  then it can just be "do this" but later when things are calm, tell people "why" you asked them to do it.



Arriving at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Dubai at 8am I was exhausted.  The bell boy beamed. He got my name from my luggage tag and addressed me personally. I got to the reception and told the receptionist I was dead beat.  A broad smile broke across her face. "That's something we can fix right away", she said.   OK, it was the Ritz Carlton, but the cheapest of hotels can manage a smile.   It's one of the most powerful communication signals.  And it crosses every language and cultural barrier.

(Posted from Kuala Lumpur International Airport)