Social media are now an almost ubiquitous presence in the modern business landscape. The various social-media applications and tools in the virtual sphere now play a key part in the workplace as they encourage marketing, networking, collaboration® brand awareness. However, the ability provided by social media - to transmit a message to a mass audience at the click of the button - should always be used responsibly in order to prevent potentially damaging consequences for the reputation of a business.

Employees should also be aware of the dangers of writing about work-related issues using their private social-media accounts. It is recommended that a business set about the process of managing the use of social media by implementing a social-media policy so employees learn how to use social-media applications in a way that doesn't create difficulties for the company or the individual involved.

EssentialSkillz have developed the social-media-policy training course to provide employers and employees with all the necessary information and guidelines to increase their awareness of how to use social media responsibly in the workplace.

Incidents relating to the misuse of social media are on the increase in the modern-day office environment, and EssentialSkillz were particularly keen to add this course to their suite of eLearning products in response to the concerns of many businesses that are unsure of how to manage the use of social media.

On the issue of social media, the British organisation Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), advises employers to draw up a policy, treat "electronic behaviour" as you treat "non-electronic behaviour", and react reasonably to issues around social media. To promote best practice and avoid legal disputes, every employee should be provided with information regarding social-media practices that the company deems acceptable and unacceptable.