Today social media has been one of the most practical methods used not only by corporations but also by individuals to express themselves and communicate with others. Therefore, you need to digest the fact that your personnel, in particular the young ones, have an account on at least one of many social networks.
Not surprisingly, the line between professional and private communications on social media is getting more and more blurred. It is not a problem if the personnel use social networks. However, make sure they are aware of the fact that each of them represents your hotel and is a part of your corporate culture.
It falls to the hotel runners and managers to establish a social media policy for their hotel. Well, how to prepare a social media policy for a hotel? What should one take into account while preparing a social media policy?
Start by sharing your corporate culture and values with your personnel
Make sure your personnel are aware of the fact that they are a part of your corporate culture even though most of them use social networks for individual purposes. That’s why you need to express your hotel’s vision and mission, and what’s more important, its values. If your own employees are not aware of your vision, mission and values, or if they have not adopted them, there is unfortunately not a point in trying to share it with others.
Try to demonstrate how you reflect those values, which underlie your corporate communication strategy both on social networks and on other medium, on the use of social media with examples. Training the personnel on this issue might also be effective.
Share your expectations about the posts concerning your hotel on social media
Banning use of social media, in order to avoid a possible communication crisis, would be neither helpful nor proper. Instead, you can make a difference by sharing your expectations about the communications your personnel have on social media. Tell your personnel that you expect them to observe the afore-mentioned principle, especially with regards to the issues concerning your hotel on social media, and that you trust their common sense. Ask them to act sensitively about posts that might damage your hotel’s image on social networks. Also appoint an employee that other can consult about issues which they are not very sure of. This employee can probably be the one in charge of your hotel’s corporate communications.
Inform your managers separately
Managers, to whom a group of employees report, particularly in large complexes, have a special responsibility. That’s why they should be aware not only of social media policy but also of how to behave in possible scenarios. Measures that managers should take in case of en employee carrying out intentional or unintentional social media activities that might damage the hotel’s image should be determined beforehand. Just like the way you know what to do in case of rude behaviors of the personnel at the hotel’s restaurant, a similar preparation for social media would come in handy.
Benefit from rewarding, not punishment
Give prominence to social media practices that support your corporate success rather than those contradicting your hotel. Congratulate, and, when appropriate, reward the employees who support, or strive for, your hotel’s success on social media, whatever their role definitions are. This can also set an example for other employees.
Put those principles into writing in a simple way
It is very important to train your personnel on social media but sharing related rules and expectations in writing might also be very effective. While drawing up texts for this purpose, do not forget that you are not preparing a contract or a legal text of similar nature. A brief, written social media policy, which is not boring and focuses on positive practices, would mean more for your personnel.
Social media is a communication tool that is currently becoming widespread and influential. Despite potential risks, a proper approach would turn social media into your favor. A social media policy, which you can create with such awareness, will help you increase the advantages of social media.
HotelRunner offers all the features you might need for social media management. It can assist you not only during social media practices, but also in the management of your hotel. We invite you to spend a few minutes and meet HotelRunner, if you have not found the chance to take a look at it yet.
