Showing blogging’s infancy, very few companies have specific guidelines related to what employees can and can’t blog.
Should companies let their employees blog? And how much attention should they pay to what other may be blogging about them? While some businesses may be ready to look into employee blogs, a joint study by Intelliseek and the Edelman PR firm says nearly 70 percent don’t have formal policies or guidelines in place.
There does seem to be some goodwill among employed bloggers, though. The study notes how “love my job” or similar phrases outnumber “hate work” by around a two to one margin. And they even like their bosses, with the “love my job” crowd exceeding the “hate my boss” posters by a four to one margin.
Some firms have become noteworthy for their blogging. Microsoft’s Robert Scoble has become the most high-profile corporate blogger, while Sun Microsystems COO/president Jonathan Schwartz is probably the highest level executive in America actively blogging today.
With apologies to Mr. Schwartz, Edelman’s findings show that people tend to trust employee blogs, ie “people like me,” more than they might trust an authority figure. Stonyfield Farms, the New Hampshire-based dairy company, has gained notice by employing a “chief blogger” to write for the business.
Businesses with proprietary information to protect, especially if they are publicly traded and subject to SEC Regulation FD on fair disclosure, have to be careful that a chatty and engaging blogger doesn’t give away competitive advantages or run afoul of federal regulators.
The study concludes blogging can be beneficial to a firm, and a viable communication channel to get information to customers. Their real-time nature appeals greatly to those interested in a company. Businesses just need to ensure they have drafted and explained clear policies on what bloggers can discuss online.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
