How to write a digital communication policy for your firm
Many firms struggle to produce an effective digital communication policy and equally as many simply have nothing at all and don’t even address it.
In this article, when we refer to digital communication, we’re talking about all the content your firm and all its employees put out in the public domain using any digital communication.
These include:
- your website content (text, images, infographics, videos etc.)
- your social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and all others
Many firms’ policies look something like this:
ABC Law & Associates
Digital Communication Policy
Blah blah blah blah blah which will incur disciplinary proceedings and which could include termination of employment. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah which will incur disciplinary proceedings and which could include termination of employment. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah which will incur disciplinary proceedings and which could include termination of employment.
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah which will incur disciplinary proceedings and which could include termination of employment. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah which will incur disciplinary proceedings and which could include termination of employment. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
<Want to read more? We didn’t think so.>
What are the primary problems with the majority of digital communication policies?
- They’re threatening as opposed to educative
- They’re not communicated to staff, either at all or on a regular basis
- They’re all in the negative; “do not”, “shall not”, “will not”, “termination”, “disciplinary action”, etc.
- They’re not in plain English
- No-one reads them
- No-one remembers all the fine print
- They’re often out of date almost as soon as they’re published
Your new digital communication policy
All staff shall use the firm’s digital communication platforms in the same way they would if they were having a face-to-face conversation with clients, contractors, service providers, colleagues or members of the public.
If you can’t (or should not) say it in person, you can’t say it online.
Why do firms struggle with this simplified and rational concept?
Trust.
But if you can’t trust your staff, you have more problems than simply designing what you think is a protective policy.
- You’re hiring the wrong people.
- You’re not guiding, educating and mentoring your people.
- Your firm’s culture does not support its aspirations.
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