The Impact of Instant Access to Information on Privacy

589 Words2 Pages

Introduction
In an age where instant access to information has influenced the privacy workplace model, which once prevails over what were inalienable assumptions of privacy is no longer a certainty in the workplace. Some companies require employees to sign confidentiality agreement to protect their patents, formulas, and processes. There are instances where companies dictate a “no compete” clause in their hiring practices, to prevent an employee from working for competitors for typically two years without legal implications. While these examples represent extents, employers go to protect their company’s privacy; companies do not go to that extent to protect the privacy of their employees.
Companies have determined what an employee does while at work or away from work on social media can greatly affect the company’s image. For example, the National Football League (NFL) has a code of conduct policy that holds employees of a team and organization accountable for the employee’s comments on social media. An employee, on their own time, is no longer a private entity, acting on their own accord without consequences from their employer. This new approach to managing a company’s image or message dictates how a company monitors and responds to acts, whether they are behavior, speech or actions they find inappropriate.
Social Media
Social media is a new phenomenon for most companies; it has also greatly affected the workplace. The influxes of technology combine with the availability of mobile devices have changed private moments and thoughts shared in the workplace. “Employees' workplace privacy is being invaded by increased use of social media, according to a survey published today by security software firm AVG technologies” Newcombe, T...

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...ddress this growing trend.

References
Gregory, D. (2005, 06). Privacy in the workplace. Issues, 71, 31-32. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/220283693?accountid=27965
Lissy, W. E. (1993). Workplace privacy. SuperVision, 54(10), 20. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/195582972?accountid=27965
Martucci, W. C., & Shankland, R. J. (2012). New laws prohibiting employers from requiring employees to provide access to social-networking sites. Employment Relations Today (Wiley), 39(2), 79-85. doi:10.1002/ert.21368
Newcombe, T. (2013, February 1). Social media has eroded workplace privacy. Retrieved from http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1076130/social-media-eroded-workplace-privacy
Walsh, D. (2012). Employment law for human resource practice. (4 ed.). Macon: South-Western Legal Studies in Business.

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