A Blogging Policy for the Nonprofit Workplace

Ask Rita in HR • April 15, 2008 • Email Print

Employee blogging, like the use of the internet itself, is only likely to grow. Many employers are taking proactive steps to protect themselves from harmful or embarrassing blogs by adopting an agency blogging policy. The blogging policies of many large technology policies can be found on the internet and you could modify those policies based on the culture and needs of your agency. Such a policy, at a minimum, should contain the following provisions:

• Clarification of whether blogging may be done on agency time or with the use of agency computers.
• Bloggers must comply with all of the agency’s policies and agreements, including any on ethics, code of conduct, confidentiality and discrimination/harassment.
• Bloggers are personally and legally responsible for the contents of their blogs. Blogs are individual, not agency communications, and employees must not represent or imply that they are expressing the opinion of the agency.
• Never disclose any confidential or proprietary information concerning the agency or its customers or clients.
• Act professional towards yourself, your coworkers and your agency. Do not put anything on your blog that will embarrass, insult, demean or damage the reputation of the agency, its services, customers or clients, or any of its employees.