We spend more than 2,000 hours a year working with our colleagues, and the deep relationships we form during those hours can carry over to different mediums. With advances in technology, we can always be reached. But should we be so connected?
Navigating professional and personal boundaries on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is a tricky, subjective endeavor. Some people even flirt on LinkedIn. The apparent rules may also change depending on whether you are a woman, whether it’s after hours, or whether you are a person’s manager.
The rules get even murkier as we post work news alongside personal updates. Some of us may even be encouraged by our employers to tie our identities to work, promoting the company’s brand on our personal Instagram.
To what extent do the rules differ if you are friends who get lunch at work? Or if it’s a “like” as opposed to a “favorite”? Are you OK with your boss following your profiles? Does a direct message on Instagram seem like flirting? If your account is already public, does it matter?
Help us continue our reporting on the new social media rules of work by telling us about yours for an upcoming story. Email your comments to me at monica.torres@huffpost.com. Here are the questions I’m looking to answer:
1. Please share your rules for talking with colleagues on social media.
2. Please share an instance when you think your personal boundary was crossed and why?
3. Where do you work? (If you do not feel comfortable disclosing, please share other identifying details like role and industry.)
4. Are you a manager or an employee? How does your role change how you interact with colleagues on social media?