Intranet Etiquette. Why it Matters.

Foosball tables, kegs of beer, and casual work attire--the workplace has become a lot more relaxed than it was in our parent’s generation.

Because of all the fun and games, it can sometimes be difficult to draw a fine line between what’s acceptable in the workplace and what isn’t. For example, your company intranet, since it is a social platform, can be easily abused. While not necessarily intentional, your intranet can be the cause of a lot of miscommunication and conflict. It is for this reason that many companies outline intranet etiquette guidelines.

Whether or not this is common sense, it’s a good idea to have a list of acceptable standards and rules. Here are a few items worth including, and why they matter:

Don’t Use Foul Language. This should be obvious, but as our vernacular continues in a casual direction, employees might not be aware of what even constitutes as vulgar language.

This should be obvious, but as our vernacular continues in a casual direction, employees might not be aware of what even constitutes as vulgar language.

Don’t discriminate. Take care not to post anything that may be offensive to a particular race, gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, or political leaning.

Resist any urge to retaliate. If somebody abuses or harasses you on the intranet, resist the urge to retaliate back. Instead, report the incident to the intranet administrator.

Don’t abuse groups. Before posting to specific groups, think about whether the content you are adding is really relevant to that particular group, or just one person. Most of us want to be included in messages that don’t pertain to us.

DON'T USE ALL CAPS. Hopefully by now we’ve all realized that all caps means shouting. If you feel the urge to raise your voice to someone specific, do it in person, or in private, not for the entire company to see.

Remember to double check what you post. Read all content carefully before posting publicly. Look for errors as well as words that potentially could be misunderstood. Remember, everything you post on the intranet can reflect on you.

Don’t forget your audience. Always consider your audience. What may seem innocent to post to a north american audience may not have the same reaction overseas.

Finally, before posting anything to your intranet, ask yourself, is this going to benefit others? Is it going to help people get to know me better? Is it professional? Does this help drive business forward? If not, it may not be worth posting.

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