Employers report tightened social media policies in wake of political upheaval

Is social media more of a workplace landmine now? Possibly, according to survey results published Sept. 30 by Resume Templates.

Twenty-nine percent of employers surveyed said there has been an increase in conflicts tied to social media posts in the past six months, with nearly 3 in 4 of those companies saying the problem worsened after Charlie Kirk’s death. The most common discipline actions taken included suspension, reprimand and termination.

A quarter of employers said they disciplined workers for social media posts in the past month, and, of those, 60% said it involved Charlie Kirk.

In response to these heightened conditions, about a third of companies surveyed said they tightened their social media policy restrictions. As for the reasons behind the change, more than two-thirds said it was to protect brand reputation, and a nearly similar amount mentioned preventing internal conflict. Just over half said they made changes to avoid customer backlash.

However, employers should be careful with restricting posts on personal social media, experts caution. “Stricter social media rules, which some may view as invasive or controlling, can backfire on recruiting and retention,” Julia Toothacre, Resume Template’s chief career strategist, said in a statement. “The more restrictive the policy, the less attractive the company becomes to top talent, similar to what we’ve seen with unpopular return-to-office mandates.”

Employers may want to ensure restrictions are narrowly tailored to statements that violate company policy, such as those that involve harassment or discrimination, an attorney previously told HR Dive. Companies also should be clear about what “reputational harm” actually means, particularly if workers are posting with an employer’s name attached to their account in any way.