Should you friend your boss on social media?

There is still a fierce debate even today as to whether you should or shouldn’t friend your boss on social media, when it comes to the right professional approach and balance within the working environment.

By sending or accepting an invitation to friendship you create a new set of rules in terms of visibility, disclosure and privacy, by giving full access to your social media account and a reflection of very personal moments in your life.

What should you consider before becoming friends with your boss? Here are some tips:

It depends on the type of social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. You should always consider this type of request based upon each social media you’re on. If you tend to share more private information on a certain type of media (e.g. Facebook or Instagram) and less on others (e.g. Twitter), evaluate the best case scenario and which media you would be comfortable to give access to or not. Keep in mind that the degree of disclosure you offer might influence the perception of your professional persona.

Accept the request but limit the access. If you are fine with becoming friends with your boss on social media but you do not feel safe with sharing everything, remember to customize your privacy settings and create different levels of shared information. Explore and experiment with all the privacy features that you may never have considered until this moment. Strategy is a key element before accepting this type of request.

Review your social media profile. From time to time it is always a good idea to review uploaded past items that are part of your profile and do not represent your aspirations or your goals anymore. Avoid any digital skeletons in your social media closet, which should be periodically “refreshed” so that it can reflect your evolution and your present self.

Social media policy for managers. Each company has specific policies that regulate social media connections and interactions, both for supervisors and subordinates. If you are not confident of how you should behave, do not hesitate to check with your HR department.

If social media is an important part of your day-to-day job, you might be asked to use your personal profile to have access to specific professional tools or administrative privileges. And even if you do not work directly for a digital company, one day you might have to manage the role and impact that social media has on your professional career.

Are you passionate about digital-related topics? If yes, find out more about this continually evolving argument.