The nature of blogging has been a contentious issue on TmTd.biz. Graeme, Barrie and Roger have now begun to offer their services as blog consultants. Kudos to them for doing this, but my prayers are with them as well …
We (Mike + me) have successfully launched our company’s corporate blog (Earth on the move) and if you have the time, you’ll see that our blog has opened up conversation that has brought our leadership into question … and given them opportunity to respond. They have done this with guts – respect to them for not firing us!
Fire us? What the …? Well, yes it is now happening! Employees are being fired for expresseing their feelings/rants about their companies on their blogs (aka disparagement)! This gets me going (grinds my turkey, pisses on my battery). How can you fire employees for thinking and being brave enough to open contentious issues for discussion. I suppose it buys into the fear/anxiety/threat many corporate bosses express when dealing with blogs (check this article out).
Blogs open up information, they expose great ideas and allow them to be communicated. Why the hell do these bosses not see the value in this? i.e. if you want to connect with your employees, and actually care about what ideas they may have … listen to them on blogs. But not to worry “our greatest assest is our people!”
I’m grateful that I work for a Co. that pays me to think … to think independantly … and to share my thinking with the powers-that-be. Connection Failure = firing your employees for disparagement!
PS: Whoever said Companies were untouchables?
Fire me for thinking
I,m putting myself in the mocassins of the poor soul who has just been fired for his lack of discretion in his personal blog when referring to his employer.
I’d be livid. On the rampage. Keen to wreak havoc and seek revenge, and to do it in the way I know best: BLOG.
So I blog left, right and center about my narrow-minded rententive suit executives and their ridiculous company, probably creating quite a stir in the process and a good deal of negative marketing for the organisation.
Scenario 2: Company picks up on employee’s dissatisfactory online ramblings. Company uses the opportunity to respond, ON the employee’s personal blog, showing their willingness to meet him in his space and a desire to work out their differences.
Chances are employee will be impressed, problem will be solved and even if it isn’t, spectators will perceive the company in a positive light.
Bad news travels fast…
This blog is testimony to that.