Company use of social media in the workplace is also increasing.  Human resource and other company professionals are using social media sites to screen potential employees, monitor current employees and obtain information about competitors or customers. This practice can create liability for a company absent a policy or set of guidelines for such professionals to reference, allowing them to make sure their behavior does not violate applicable law or expose the company to legal action.

Every company needs to consider the following general guidelines for social media use in the workplace:

Do:

Know the applicable law.  It’s important for company leaders to familiarize themselves with traditional employment laws, as well as laws that affect social media policy. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) addresses union and non-union employee rights in regard to the use of social media and acceptable social media policy. Also, new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines provide regulations for the endorsement of products on social media sites.

Provide a social media policy. Determine what your company’s position is on social media use and monitoring.  Provide a written policy that is clearly communicated to employees. Without a policy, employees don’t understand the company’s concerns and the potential exposure to legal damages, and human resource managers risk implementing social media policy inconsistently.

Protect trade secrets.  Consider what your company’s current policy is on disclosure of trade secrets and confidential information and apply the policy to social media use. Social media engagement is casual, making it crucial that confidentiality concerns be addressed.

Train key employees.  Supervisors, human resource professionals, and any other employees in the capacity of managing other employees should receive comprehensive training on the social media policy. This group is in charge of ensuring legal compliance and execution of the social media policy. Additionally, key employees may need training to avoid claims of online harassment, offensive behavior and discrimination.

Consistently monitor.  Create a system for monitoring employees’ social media use. Consistent monitoring ensures compliance with your policy.  However, make sure that you are monitoring in a manner that is legally permissible and does not violate employee rights of privacy or similar laws.

Don’t:

Seek protected information about an employee.  Age, race, marital status, religious affiliation and political views can be considered protected information that an employer cannot use as a factor in hiring or any other employment decision. Generally, it is recommended to avoid examining job candidates on social networking sites that may give the employer protected information.

Punish employees for lawful activities.  In most states, you cannot refuse to hire an applicant, or penalize or release a current employee because they engage in lawful activity (for instance, consuming alcoholic beverages) if the use takes place off of the premises during nonworking hours. Consequently, pictures and/or updates on social networking sites that may be perceived as poor judgment, if lawful, are not legal grounds for refusing employment or taking disciplinary action.

Violate privacy.  Employees may expect that their social media activities are private and may limit unauthorized access. In an effort to gain access to information, employers should not take steps to undermine the privacy settings an employee has implemented on his or her social media profiles.

Infringe upon NLRB regulations.  Employees are entitled, under the NLRA, to complain about terms and conditions of their job, as well as another worker’s performance. Furthermore, NLRA guarantees employees the right to self-organize, to form, join or assist organizations; bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing; and engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection.  Therefore, prior to disciplining an employee for posts or activities on social media sites, the employer should make sure that such posts or actions are not an exercise of the employee’s NLRA rights.

As new social networks are formed online, there are many gray legal lines.  The best thing you can do as a company leader is to stay informed. Keep your eye out for new laws and legislation and implement a comprehensive social media policy to safeguard your company and employees.

About The Guest Author: Heidi A. Carpenter, shareholder at the law firm of Fafinski Mark & Johnson, P.A., is a commercial attorney focusing her practice on providing counsel to investors, start-up companies, and closely held businesses of all sizes with business, corporate, transactional and employment law matters. Heidi has over 14 years of experience providing general counsel assistance to companies and their owners.

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To participate in this chat all you need to do is follow the hashtag #YDashboard at the date and time specified above.  In addition to gaining some great information, two lucky participants will be randomly chosen to each win $100 AMEX gift cards.  So make sure you attend for your chance to win!  More information is available here.

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Here are some examples of ways going green can save you money and be good for business, all while helping the environment.

Any PR is Good PR, but Positive PR is Better PR

While it may seem like a bad way to think about going green, the fact is that it can easily turn into a great marketing campaign. Many people today are interested in supporting efforts to go green, and are likely to be supportive of companies that make the effort to do so.

In the case of growing markets like holistic food and services, people are even willing to pay higher premiums for this improved environmental consciousness. A quick note to a local news agency about how your business is going green might result in some free advertisement with a headline that will attract more attention than just another advertisement.

Solar Energy Can Earn You More Profit

Small businesses like restaurants can have dramatically higher power bills than a residential home of comparable size. Proper lighting is necessary through every portion of the building, and heating and air conditioning bills are higher due to increased traffic in and out of the building, as well as more occupants. A business office will have the same concerns. This makes investing in a solar photovoltaic system a great idea for going green for businesses.

There are many websites that will provide information on the investment costs of the system, the size of the system you will need, and include information on all the rebates and incentives available for installing the service. One of these incentives is a 30% federal tax credit for your business, which can easily clear 5 digits for commercial systems.

If you can produce more energy than your building uses, you can even sell it back to the power company. A typical solar system will pay for itself in around 10 years, and the average lifespan of the systems is over 25 years.

Reusability Can Mean Reduced Costs

If something is designed to last longer, it usually means it costs more, both monetarily and environmentally. The caveat to this is that, when compared to disposable options, there is more physical waste produced overall. The problem is not a simple one to decipher, but there are ways to include more reusability without hurting your wallet.

For example, bags and containers used for take-out food are a large contributor to many household’s trash production. Many companies also offer rewards for frequent customers, and reusable products are a great way to incorporate this practice.

If you provide a reusable bag for carrying your products in, and have your cashiers mark it in an easily identifiable way on every visit the customer makes, you can encourage customers to return, go green, and even create a new advertisement if the customer uses the bag in other situations.

Green Can Make Green

These are not the only ideas for being green and turning a profit. Many ideas will also not be obvious to someone not dealing with your business specifically. Keeping an eye out for ways to go green is a great service to yourself, your customers, and your wallet.

About The Guest Author:  Justin McGenity is a freelance writer with a focus on technology, science, math, and education. He is a contributor to DegreeJungle, a resource for college students and future entrepreneurs.

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So if you have branding questions about your business be sure to submit them on Twitter with the hashtag #FedExOffice.  Then this afternoon, beginning at 1pm ET, follow along with the hashtag to see the answers.

As an added bonus, Small Business Trends is giving one lucky person the chance to win a $100 FedEx Office gift card.  All you have to do is fill in the blank to this question and tweet out your 140 character or less answer:

Q:  A professional looking logo _______________. #FedExOffice

At the conclusion of the tweet chat, one winner will be chosen randomly.  More information is available here.  See you at 1pm ET!

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Combining several different personalities within one team structure can become a nightmare to manage.  How can you possibly keep everyone happy and cohesive?  As a small business owner, this is your challenge to figure out.  Luckily for us, Susan Steinbrecher can give us some guidance.

Susan shares her secrets for communication in the latest Small Business Trends Radio podcast.  In the interview, conducted by Anita Campbell, Susan reveals the “Three Golden Rules” of engagement and the “Six Steps to Conflict Resolution.”  If you have an unruly team to manage, give this interview a listen.

Listen to the complete 30 minute podcast now…

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If you or your business has been influenced by a company or person who fits into one of the following categories, then please nominate them before time runs out!  Nominations will be accepted until July 15, 2012.

• Leaders (executives, academics, government officials, or key employees who are part of companies or other organizations serving the small business market)
• Corporations (companies that provide products and services to the small business market, and non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and advocacy and support organizations)
• Journalists (individual journalists, reporters, editors, broadcasters, bloggers, podcasters, freelance writers)
• News Outlets (media companies, newspapers, magazines, broadcasting companies)
• Apps (software applications, software as a service or SaaS, mobile apps, tablet apps)
• Experts (mavens, authors, speakers, consultants, advocates, professionals such as lawyers or CPAs)

At the conclusion of the nomination period, the public can begin voting for their favorites.  For more information, be sure to visit the Small Business Influencer awards website.

But at some point, we’re ready to hire a team of consultants, contractors, and/or employees to support our goals and vision. At this exciting and pivotal point in time, our business’ success largely hinges on whether or not we hire the right people to support us and our business.

It can be helpful to keep the following in mind when you’re recruiting a team to support your company:

Interviews Matter. No matter what, even with personal recommendations, you want to take the time to interview anyone and everyone you’re considering as a contractor, consultant or employee for your local business. It’s important you get a sense from your own perspective as to how well you will work with someone, in addition to how capable they are when it comes to the work you’re hiring them to do.

Check out Referrals. Ask people for referrals and check them out. Thought most are going to give you resources who will give them positive reviews, you can still get some interesting insight from referrals if you ask specific questions.

Search Engines are Handy. It’s amazing what you can learn about an individual by simply doing a Google search these days. Almost everyone has some sort of social media account in today’s world, and their activity can give you a lot of insight into their personality and behavior.

We’re not implying that you should make a decision based on an online search alone, but it’s just another source for possible insight into anyone you’re considering working with.

Consider Alignment with the Company Vision and Mission. When you’re about to hire someone, be it an internal employee or outside consultant, it’s important they understand and support your overall mission and vision. If you start hiring individuals who are out of sync with your business’s overall mission and vision, you’re going to end up with a lot of disconnect and find it more challenging for your business to meet its goals without resistance.

Don’t Hire Yourself All the Time! Many of us have a tendency to hire ourselves. In other words, we easily connect with those who have similar personalities and approaches like ours. But this isn’t always smart.

You want some people on your team who can bring a different perspective and point of view to your company. You do want to hire individuals who are a cultural fit for your business, but that doesn’t mean everyone should have the same personality or opinions.

Again, hiring the right team to support your business is critical for you to meet your company’s goals, vision and mission. If you don’t, it could mean more challenges and stressful situations that could’ve been avoided by using the tips provided here. Good luck, and happy recruiting!

About The Guest Author:  Chris Marentis, founder and CEO of the Surefire Social Marketing System, is a recognized expert in the field of local business marketing leveraging website development, local search engine optimization and social media marketing to generate leads and brand local businesses throughout the digital web.

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So, how can you tell if your company would benefit from holding a GSA Schedule?  Here are eight factors to take into consideration:

1. Does your company currently do business with the government?

If you have a D&B D-U-N-S Number, are registered on the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) website, and have already been contracting with the government, a GSA Schedule Contract is the next logical step. Your company has already established a client base and has the history of work to show you are prepared for the opportunity.

A GSA Schedule provides your sales force with an additional tool to secure government business, and will also open up a new market of potential clients who may not have considered your company in the past.

2. Are your competitors on the GSA Schedule, and/or do they target the public sector? 

If your company does not maintain a sales presence in a major market sector, you may be allowing your competition to thrive unchallenged.

3. How much sales are companies in your industry currently making through the GSA Schedule?

Historically, the GSA Schedules for Information Technology (IT), Management Consulting and Training, Engineering, and Security have taken in the highest sales each year.  In terms of average sales per contractor, companies within the Logistics, Transportation, and Office Imaging industries also experience healthy sales and have the added benefit of lower competition within the GSA Schedule Program.

Companies representing other industries can still benefit from a GSA Schedule; however, there is an even greater potential for opportunity among these industries.

4. Does your company provide products or services that complement a hot button government initiative?

Check with GSA and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to identify government-wide initiatives and potential new spending trends that your company may be in a position to fulfill.

5. What are your internal resources and capabilities?

Take stock of your internal resources and capabilities to ensure your company has the ability to meet the demands involved with: 1) developing and implementing a marketing plan to target government buyers, 2) pursuing a GSA Schedule, and 3) handling the potential additional business.

6. Does your company qualify as a small business?

Each federal agency is required to establish annual goals for contracting with various types of small businesses.  If your company qualifies as a small business, you may receive higher consideration over competing large businesses; your advantage is compounded if you also qualify as a woman-owned, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and/or disadvantaged business.

If you decide your company would benefit from holding a GSA Schedule, there are still two major items that affect your eligibility to obtain a GSA Schedule:

7. Has your company been in business for at least two years?

Requirements vary by Schedule, but typically your company needs to have been in business for two years or more to obtain a GSA Schedule. If you do not meet this requirement, you can still pursue government work that does not require a GSA Schedule.

Any government experience your company builds prior to obtaining a GSA Schedule Contract will help provide a jump start when the time comes to pursue the contract.

8. Does your company have a solid financial history?

To get a GSA Schedule, you have to show your company has a record of financially stability. While you do not need to have a perfect record, if your company is just recovering from a few years in the red, it may not be the best time to pursue a GSA Schedule Contract.

Before making the decision to pursue a GSA Schedule, every company should carefully consider all of the costs and benefits associated with holding a GSA Schedule, including the eight items discussed above.  Timing can play a major factor, and a GSA Schedule may not be the best path for all business.

However, for many, a GSA Schedule facilitates a profitable, long-term business relationship with the largest customer in the world – the United States federal government.

About The Guest Author:  Julie C. Crosby is the President of Federal Schedules, a leading GSA consultant that assists businesses in obtaining and maintaining GSA contracts so they can conduct business with the federal government.

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Join our sister site, Small Business Trends, for a Twitter chat Wednesday, May 2nd from 7-8 pm ET.  Anita Campbell will be joined by two Symantec representatives, Kevin Haley and Andrew Singer.  Together they will cover key security aspects you need to know to protect your business while still getting the benefits of being mobile.

Here’s a sneak peek of the questions the experts will be discussing:

• What is the biggest security issue when it comes to small-business mobile usage? I think you will be very surprised by the answer!
• How does mobile security compare with other computing risks? What are the highest risk levels and why?
• What kind of losses can there be if mobile devices are hacked, stolen or otherwise insecure?

To participate in this tweet chat all you have to do is follow the hashtag #SMBChat on Twitter at the time stated above.  See you then!

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The name Zurker will frequently come up in conversation or I’ll stumble across another article on my internet travels.  I can safely say that I am both curious and fascinated in Zurker. Here’s why:

Zurker is owned by their members

The first thing that comes to mind is some sort of secret members society. This is not too far from the truth actually. For a start, you need an invitation to become a part of the network which already gives it that exclusive element. Okay, so this is not exactly a new idea (you also need an invitation to join Pinterest) but you do get the impression that the network wants their members to be serious about signing up.

They promise that the network will be driven and steered by its members. Basically, there’s not even a trace of a VC or venture capitalist sniffing around. All investment will come from the members.

Shares

Becoming a member of Zurker automatically makes you an owner and investor in the site. By inviting friends to join the network you earn a vShare. Now, these don’t count as real shares until Zurker becomes a publicly traded company but it’s still a pretty good start.

Obviously, you’ll want to refer as many friends as you can so that you get more shares, which in turn allows the social network to expand. You can also purchase vShares so you can invest as little or much as you want.

Zurker Vs Facebook

As soon as any new social networking site is released, it will instantly be compared to the almighty Facebook.  With the announcement that Facebook is to become a publicly traded company, it has definitely got us all thinking about who is making all the money from this?

As Facebook has grown so have the investor’s bank balances. However, it really does go to show how much a small start-up can come in a few years and the amount of money that is continuing to be invested in the world of social media. What’s to say that the users can’t be the ones to profit from social networking? Now that the question has been thrown out there, it’s hard to avoid.

Can it work?

On paper this seems like the best idea. We’re all going to be multi-millionaires by 2016! Before we get too carried away we need to remember the facts. It doesn’t yet have a mobile app or a developer API. From using the site, I can see that it is still in its early stages.

While the interface is simple to use, it doesn’t have an overly attractive design. However, I think this can be improved as the site continues to grow. After all, does anyone remember the initial Facebook design?

While it’s still in its early stages I can’t help but be intrigued by Zurker. Yes, the whole Facebook thing has already been done and many would argue that it would be difficult to see another social network have the same level of growth and success. But the beauty of social media is that anything is possible and you’re never 100% of sure how the general public will react.

Maybe it’s the thought of seeing democracy being put into practice through the web or the possibility that the whole thing could just take off leaving the Zurker members with the last laugh.

Small businesses can also benefit from the site as it’s the chance to meet with more like-minded people. No doubt, brand and company pages will be rolled out in the future too. I’ve already seen a wide range of professions on the network who obviously want to stay one step ahead.

Even just from fear of missing out alone, I have already signed up for my account.  I feel it’s time for a revolution in social networking and this could be just the ticket.

About The Guest Author:  Alex Woods is an online writer and blogger at BaseKit,  an online website builder. She enjoys finding interesting topics to write about and sharing them with others.