While it's unclear if LinkedIn connections are trade
secrets, employers can still take steps to ensure they don't
walk out the door with ex-employees and into the arms of a
competitor.
Consider this: your business, like many others, largely depends
on the people within it and the relationships those people have
with clients.
What if your marketing department decided to get on the front
foot with LinkedIn by strongly recommending all employees establish
an account, giving them a suggested format for their profiles, and
encouraging them to connect with existing clients, potential
clients or even old friends? So far, so good, right?
But there will come a day when one employee with over 1000
LinkedIn connections logs out of LinkedIn on the computer your
business has generously provided to him for several years, shuts
down that computer, walks into HR and resigns from the firm. The
next day, he starts working with your competitor.
