Do you think your personal post on social media can affect your career? No? Think again! Your employer can fire or suspend you for inappropriate, insensitive, and racist posts shared on social media, even if it has nothing to do with their business.

Bradley Workman Davies explained that the primary reason behind this is that customers associate businesses with its employees. Thus, unsuitable content posted by employees can reflect negatively on the directors, the business, and the company can start losing loyal customers. In recent years, several incidents made headlines when employees were fired or suspended for their social media posts. One of these incidents includes the media personality, Gareth Cliff who has been booted off Idols for inappropriately tweeting on freedom of speech during the Penny Sparrow race debacle. The followers misunderstood his tweet and assumed that he supported Sparrow’s right to label black beachgoers as monkeys.

Employers don’t necessarily take action against an employee because they breached their contract. It can also be based on the broader category where the employee’s conduct could be seen to have the intention, or effect of breaking the trust relationship between the two parties.

Don’t let your career suffer under your social misconduct on social media, and shatter your working relationship with your employer. According to CareerCast you should avoid sharing complaints about your job on Facebook, the whole world can see it, including your boss and colleagues. Similar to complaining about your job, mocking your customers can have an equally bad effect on your relationship with your employer. These complaints will show the company in a bad light, having a negative impact on its brand image. CareerCast further states to never post photos of you using alcohol, your customers or fellow colleagues might get the wrong idea and complain to your boss. Steer clear of inflammatory and racist comments that are meant to offend another person or group. The board of directors may not find your comments amusing and it can cost you your job. Lastly, always use appropriate, faultless language and grammar. It might not seem like a big deal using texting language on social media but your employer might think otherwise.

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