​In this technological era, the average employee has 10 times more followers on social media than the average business. In fact, 92% of consumers trust an individual recommendation over a brand's advertising, making it easy to lose sight between work and personal perception. Although everyone has the right to post anything on social media, take into account that everything that is posted on social media has a direct or indirect effect on your personal brand. 

Social media makes the world much smaller and provides people with access to shared information at the drop of a hat. Freedom of expression empowers individuals to have opinions about any issue and receive, seek and impart information and ideas through any media.

Here are tips that will help you to uphold your personal brand on social media.Don't politicise your brand

Social media, when used correctly, can be an effective marketing tool in your personal and professional capacities. In addition, it's also about building an emotional connection and trust with your followers. Remember, you are more than just a personal brand; you are an extension of your company. Anything you post on social media that may be perceived as offensive may have a negative impact on the company you work for. Your community/ followers may associate your comments with those of your current employer. Always ask yourself: "what is my content saying about me?".Don't vent discriminatory views

Professionals should be aware that their employer can dismiss them for any insensitive and inappropriate behaviour and content posted on social media even if it doesn't have anything to do with the employer and company as explained by Werksmans Attorneys.

Their director Bradley Workman Davies explains that the reason behind this is because the inappropriate content can cause potential hard to the business of the employer. "Equally, employees should realise that in the digital age, with regards to the employment relationship, nothing posted publicly is private or irrelevant," Davies added.

Davies made an example of an employee of Nehawu who was dismissed after being found guilty of misconduct for consuming alcohol after hours at a union congress. "In this case, the adjudicator found that 'employees are considered to be employees 24 hours out of 24 hours at a Congress' and therefore after-hours consumption was as good as consumption during working hours," Davis mentioned.

According to Verlie Oosthuizen, head of Social Media Law at Shepstone & Wylie, racial rants on any social platform will get you fired. In a BusinessTech article, Oosthuizen mentions that while there aren't many Labour Court cases regarding dismissals around social media expressions, racial rants on Facebook will get you fired. 

For example, there was a policeman who posted a racial comment on Julius Malema's page and was dismissed from his job. Oosthuizen explained that the judgement indicated that the courts don't tolerate the use of social media to vent one's racial views. She warned users not to expect any sympathy if you decide to participate in this type of behaviour.

However, employers will always provide the employee with the right to makes statements of whether they are guilty before deciding on what action, if any, would be taken against the employee.

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