It seems that almost everyone has a blog today . Blogs are are the new “Coronation Street”. People may not talk to their neighbors anymore . However they may well be following their online blog. Yet that blog roll may well spill the beans about what should be considered private and confidential workplace matters as well as proprietary if not trade secrets and procedures at the firm and home office.

Blogs are here , there and everywhere. Their growth in numbers and prevalence to say the least is almost sky-high. Yet who is minding the store .? Are your employees “blogging behind your back” ? about corporate secrets ?

In spite of the fact held , by most business people over the age of 40 , that having a web page , and hosting a webpage is an expensive matter this is not so. Such “authorities ” are misinformed to say the least. You might even hear them say about some crackpot relative “Where does he get off having his own webpage ?” , this is downright wrong. A blog is of little cost , or in most cases free of charge. If you can type on a standard office word processor – such as Microsoft Office , or Open Office , then you are entirely capable of being the webmaster of a blog. Failing that there is no law saying that you can not post comments on other people blogs , replying to their questions , concerns and postings. The employee posting blog replies may think that they are doing a good and valuable tasking – simply adding value and information to any given blog.

Working stiffs in your employee , or even those past your employ , and who were “let go” are in a position to a lot of damage to your hard earned “corporate image”. On top of that once out of the floodgates , it is virtually impossible to control and limit the spread of this information . Once on the “net” , it is now fair game for copy and dissemination. Never mind the caches and stores in and around and through out the whole world wide web .

What do marketing and information technology consultants recommend as a matter of course of planning and procedures ? Its no accident that a major enterprise has emerged on the web , of removing negative comments and postings on the web . On top of that it is an expensive and time consuming procedure , often to little avail except substantial costs to offended companies. Fire departments have fire prevention departments. So should you when it comes to employee blogs and their postings.

First and foremost a true environment of openness and honesty should be maintained and at the worst strived for. Nothing begets anger more than suppressed anger. The stiff upper lip does not cut it anymore.

Your company , firm or organization , most likely has extensive policy and procedures manuals already . Do these manuals have procedures , polices and rules when it comes to blogs and online blogging ?

The amount of time and effort spent , should you have a raging bonfire of a loss of private trade data , or procedures can be immense. All in all its a waste of time. It can be said that some management levels actually like to fight and even create “fires” as a means of justification of their existence and pay. Would it not be smarter from the very start to have clear policy procedures in place , including a signed non-disclosure document , clearly listing rules ,proceedings and a time line after leaving the employee ? Large corporations do this as a simple matter of routine . Should not this be your established pattern as well ?

Blogs are a powerful tool in today’s business climate which can be used for good or bad. Remember it can only take one Blog entry to destroy your business image or customer base that took 20 years to develop and nature. Take responsible steps to embrace the culture and avoid the pitfalls.

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