Policy 8.9 Social Media Policy

8.9 Social Media Policy

What do we mean by social media?

LUU’s social media policy provides a framework for using social media. LUU defines social media as any type of platform that allows people to create and share content and data via virtual communities and networks. This includes, but is not limited to, all aspects of the following platforms: Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube. Employees should be aware that there are many more examples of social media than can be listed here and should follow these guidelines in relation to any social media that they use.

This policy is here to protect LUU employees as much as the organisation. Employees should consider the impact of posting inappropriate material on social media sites and the potential negative effect your digital footprint could have on your future employability with other employers.

Use of Social Media at Work

Some employees may already contribute to LUU‟s social media activities, for example through managing a Facebook account. These employees must be aware at all times that while contributing to LUU‟s social media activities, they are representing LUU. Staff that have permission to use social media as part of their job must use the same safeguards as you would with any other form of communication about LUU in a public arena. These include:

1. making sure that the communication has a purpose and a benefit for LUU 2. speaking in LUU’s tone of voice

3. representing LUU’s brand correctly using the brand guidelines

4. asking their manager to check the content before it is published if necessary

If you manage a social media account as well as following LUU guidelines on the content you create you must also consider LUU’s reputation when liking and sharing third party content. You must also consider LUU’s reputation when deciding which third party accounts to follow.

Before setting up any social media accounts to represent any LUU services, job roles or functions, you must obtain permission from the Director of Communications.

Social media usage and job duties

Where you are using or contributing to social media as part of your role, LUU expects you to conduct yourself in accordance with guidance within this policy. Access to a suitable device will be provided in these instances or you can make an agreement with your line manager as to how your own device could be used.

Any use of social medial for non-work related activity should be done so during employee break times or outside of your normal working hours.

Using social media outside of work

LUU recognises that many employees make use of social media in a personal capacity. While you are not acting on behalf of LUU, you must be aware that you have the ability to damage LUU if you are recognised as being one of our employees.

Employees can say that they work for LUU and we recognise that it is natural to sometimes want to discuss work-related issues on social media. However, the employee’s online profile (for example, the name of a blog or a Twitter name) must not contain LUU’s name, unless permission has been granted by the Marketing Department.

If employees do choose to discuss their work on social media (for example, by giving opinions on their specialism) and they can be identified as working for LUU, they must include a clear statement on their profile along the following lines: ‘The views I express are my own and do not necessarily represent my organisation’. If you are unsure of when this should be used, please discuss this with the People Team.

Use of social media in a personal or professional capacity

LUU respects a member of staffs’ right to a private life. However, LUU must also ensure that its reputation, confidentiality and information are protected. It must also ensure that staff are protecting themselves when using the internet. Therefore any communications that employees make in a professional or personal capacity through social media must not:


Bring the organisation into disrepute e.g.

  • by posting content, images or links that are inappropriate

  • criticising or arguing with members, colleagues or other organisations related to LUU

  • showing support for individuals or organisations which are known to the employee as being in dispute with LUU. For example through activities such as liking comments, posting images or videos or making comments in agreement with those in dispute with LUU.

  • making defamatory, disrespectful or inappropriate comments about individuals, other organisations or groups

  • Breach confidentiality e.g.

  • by revealing information owned by LUU or giving away confidential information about an individual or organisation

  • breach copyright, for example by using someone else’s images or written content without permission

  • Undertake any action on a social media platform that could be deemed as bullying or harassment of an individual as outlined in LUU’s Dignity At Work Policy or Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

Security and Identity Theft

Staff should be aware that social networking websites are a public forum, particularly if the member of staff is part of a network. Staff should not assume that their entries on any website will remain private and should use the appropriate privacy settings.

Staff must also be security conscious and take steps to protect themselves and others from identity theft, for example by restricting the amount of personal information that they give out. Social networking websites allow people to post detailed personal information such as date of birth, place of birth and favourite football team, which can form the basis of security questions and passwords.

Disciplinary action over social media use

All LUU employees are required to adhere to this policy and should note that any breaches of this policy may lead to disciplinary action in accordance with LUU’S disciplinary process. Serious breaches of this policy, for example incidents of bullying of colleagues or social media activity causing serious damage to the organisation may constitute gross misconduct and lead to your dismissal.

Staff are to be aware that LUU may review social media platforms that you have used as part of conducting disciplinary investigations. Furthermore, you may be asked to remove social media posts as part of LUU’s disciplinary process.