HR Professional - April/May 2008 - (Page 26)

COVER STORY An HR issue One of the more controversial business aspects of social media is the use of Facebook or MySpace as a recruiting or screening tool in the hiring process. Remember that photo you posted of yourself naked leading a drunken conga line during spring break? It may cause you more permanent grief than a hangover. According to an NBC news report, almost 77 per cent of job recruiters in the U.S. admit to factoring the content of personal web pages into their decision-making process. “ G o ogle s e a r che s a nd net working sites provide a valuable resource for the savvy recruiter. However, as a profession we need to be mindful that the generation entering the workforce have lived their entire lives online. A web search on a potential hire may help in checking references and shed light on an individual’s personality, but discretion is necessary; the Internet should not replace solid HR fundamentals. A candidate shouldn’t have to pay for comments made on MySpace when she was 15 years old,” says Goertz. Transparency may be the new buzzword, but even as people pay lip service to it in public, they may be secretly making judgments behind the scenes. “Employers can use social media for whatever they want but there is always an opportunity cost for acting outside the expectations of the market—including those of customers, investors and employees,” cautions Ward. Ironically, perhaps, given the universal emphasis on communication and information in our professional and personal lives, there are fears that the prevalence of social media threatens to undermine authentic interaction between people as the virtual experience overwhelms the oneon-one encounter. “Most concerns are overblown,” says Ward. “The virtual world only helps facilitate real-world action. For example, booking a ticket online still requires you to get on a flight, and arranging a date online still requires you to meet the person. E-mail has cut down on meetings and phone calls, but has not replaced face-toface communications.” HR P R OF E S S I ON A L their predecessors and it’s up to HR to provide guidelines about acceptable workplace behaviour and ensure controls and monitoring processes are in place to mitigate risks, says Goertz. MORE THAN A ONE NIGHT STAND Introducing the new extended-stay program at Toronto's premier luxury hotel. Why settle for limited-service furnished apartments? Live in the ultra-hip SoHo Metropolitan for months on end and enjoy 24/7 hotel services with added comforts geared towards extended stays. Features like a 6-appliance kitchen, stocked fridge, insuite laundry, and a fully-equipped office, now within a budget consistent with long-term visits. prime downtown address • les clefs d’or concierge • celebrated restaurant 24/7 hotel services • indoor pool • in-house spa • world-class fitness centre Stay productive. Stay Relaxed. Stay awhile. 318 WELLINGTON ST. W. TORONTO CANADA 416.979.4504 soho.metropolitan.com 371221_Soho.indd 1 26 A p r i l / M a y 2 0 0 8 2/28/08 11:29:50 AM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - April/May 2008

HR Professional - April/May 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters By the Numbers On the Web Careers World Watch Accounting Health & Safety Foreign Professionals Management Office Life Legal Compensation Web 2.0 @ Work Talent Management Systems On Message Strategy HR 101 Interview With Colin Mackay Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - April/May 2008

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