The water cooler, it seems, is a thing of the past. Or at least
the actual physical water cooler is. These days, many of the office
conversations take place online. Employees air their grievances,
connect with each other, and catch up on each other's lives
through social media. As technology plays a bigger role in our
lives and simple statements that were previously private now become
public, employers have an increased interest in what their
employees are doing and saying online. Are they disparaging the
company? Are they harassing other employees? Are they divulging
company secrets? While these are all valid questions that an
employer may want answered, employers need to tread carefully when
developing policies regarding their employees' use of social
media. As the technological landscape and employee behavior is
changing, so too are the laws governing permissible employer
actions in relation to social media.
