This is the era of social media and in this era of social media, we are all more or less connected to ourselves. Be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn, we share our personal moments, opinions and feelings on each platform. These places are absolutely our personal space. But now your question is, if a company demands its employees to submit their social media handles, how reasonable is it?
Your question is quite strange. I have never heard of such a request from any company employees. But in the modern era, there is a slight exception in the case of marketing and sales employees that I know. Many times companies encourage employees to use their personal social media to promote their products. In this, if the sales volume increases from the employees’ posts, then some part of it is given as commission.
I am speaking from my own experience. I used to work in a multi-international company. It was my dream job, the company was a cement manufacturing company. Their sales marketing team was told that they have to post the company’s products on social media. They have to post about new products or production. However, the employees have taken it well. Because, the original post was published on the company's social media page. The employees simply shared it on their blog.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that there are some areas of work where the role of social media is important, such as working as a brand ambassador, influencer or social media manager. In these professions, a social media presence is simply necessary and essential. So if an employee is associated with this profession, his social media account can be used for some professional purposes. However, it is very important to protect personal privacy even in this use. The company should clearly create policies where clear boundaries are drawn between the employee's personal and professional life. In this way, employees can maintain their freedom and fulfill their professional responsibilities. Social media is our very personal space. In my opinion, any company's interference in this space is completely inappropriate. If a company imposes such conditions, it is better not to work there. Because by interfering in personal space, they can dare to interfere in your life and personal life as well.
If the company wants, it can create a separate social media page to promote their products, which is what almost all companies do now. Through this, they can promote their products or services. And a secret mail system can be used to exchange confidential information. This is exactly how we used to work in our company.Another thing is that trust is very important in the workplace. If a company cannot have complete trust in its employees, then it becomes very difficult to work in that environment. Interfering in an employee's personal life means showing a lack of trust in them. This can reduce the employee's morale and enthusiasm for work.
Finally, although social media is an integral part of our lives, it is our own world. If this world is controlled by someone else, it can have a negative impact on our personality and freedom. Therefore, maintaining this balance between professional and personal life is very important.