A CEO's guide to tackling irate employees online
Employees view socially
active CEOs as good communicators and inspiring. But it's important to know how
to handle criticism, if it occurs on an open platform
A Tesla employee recently criticised
the company on an online publishing platform, spurring a public exchange
between the employee and Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO. In November, an IBM employee
resigned by posting an open letter to CEO Ginni Rometty, in response to an open
letter that Rometti had written to US President Donald Trump.
Many leaders expect to be
challenged by employees in the privacy of their offices, but there are greater
risks when it happens online, in public. Others may pile on, a CEO's response
may be taken out of context, and comments may live on in perpetuity.
Social media has become an
important employee communications tool that leaders should embrace. Employees
are more likely to view socially active CEOs as good communicators and
listeners, open and accessible. But it's important to know how to handle
criticism. Taking a few steps can help CEOs prepare for online exchanges with
employees online.
FOSTER INTERNAL DIALOGUE
Leaders need to find ways
to hear people's concerns. CEO roadshows to locations around the world,
intranet forums and informal conversations (like Google's weekly all-hands
chats) help staff to feel heard and leaders to keep a pulse on sentiment.
Effective CEOs need to meet regularly with employees to explain courses of action.
If the conversations don't happen internally, they will eventually surface
externally, at a higher cost.
LISTEN EXTERNALLY
Social media tracking is a
more than $2 billion industry, offering products that monitor everything from
when an employee posts something to how many views it gets and more. Investing
in the right technology can help companies track how they're being portrayed
online and find the posts that demand attention. Reach and context are
important data points to monitor.
ONLY RESPOND TO CRITICISM WHEN NECESSARY
Responding to all employee
criticism isn't advisable . Determining whether, when, and how to respond
requires judgment and sensitivity to the nuances of the situation. CEOs should
partner with communications, human resources and the legal department to assess
the following:
Q Who is the employee?
An employee who speaks out
after being overlooked for promotion may not be receptive to a constructive
exchange. On the other hand, an employee in good standing who uses social media
to raise concerns about a new corporate policy may offer the CEO a chance to
bring the employee onboard.
Q What platform was the post on?
Some social media channels
are lower risk than others. Official employer review sites like Glassdoor are
guided by community rules and are rigorously monitored. CEOs are active on
Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, among other sites. These sites allow criticism
of CEOs and other public figures, but prohibit threats, harassment and hate
speech directed at them. They also offer direct messaging, which CEOs can use
to respond to employees privately.
If the decision is to reply
to employee criticism, CEOs should remember that a response over social media
is not just a response to the critical employee -it's a message to everyone who
comes across it, including potential .shareholders, customers and employees
-NYT
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