Should a company sack its employee over leaked nude pictures? There is a current public debate on whether companies should fire their employees over leaked nude pictures and videos or not. In the last two years, the Ugandan public has witnessed an increase in leaked sextapes and nude pictures. This has caused public outcry and intervention of the Ethics Minister. Though celebrities have ranked highly on the list of victims. Today the list of dissemination channels for such content has grown to add social media platforms .Online content can never be erased. A damaged organisation reputation may result in legal issues, regulation penalties and disrupt general business operations. Companies invest a lot in reputation management. Some develop pre-employment contracts on reputation protection. Some companies dictate on specific employee dress codes and types of cars their drive.
On the notion that an employee's nude pictures disrupt company operations should be taken with a pinch of salt. Leaked nude pictures and videos may affect the reputation of a brand reputation positively or negatively. Sacking an employee may prolong the crisis and leave lasting company reputation damage. Companies do not need to overeat but get the facts right. Are the pictures are authentic.
Leaked nude picture crises must be handled on a case by case basis. A universal approach to all nude picture crises is wrong. You can not act the same way when police and local authorities have picked interest in the matter.
Sacking must be a last resort. We are living in a world that enjoys a blame game and as such a company must be seen to take action against an employee. So why lose a talented employee over a non issue yet you can send them on forced leave, task them to apologise publicly or suspension them as you buy time for the crisis to end. Leaked nude pictures and sextapes crises come with a valued resource of enormous media attention which you should not just throw away. Simply use the crisis as publicity stunt to launch new product or service.
Sacking sometimes damages the organisation reputation if the process is poorly handled. The employer maybe within their right to fire an employee who goes against their interests. but how it is done may be disastrous. Should a company abandon a staff at a trying time? Ignoring the crisis sometimes works just fine. An Organisations can do nothing and the crisis have comes to pass. Sacking could give the scandal unnecessary attention. It is now David(employee) against Goliath (organisation).Pressure groups and activists may start petitions against your brand. The sacked staff can play the victim card and win sympathy from the public. What if a boycott is declared on your brand? Is the company willing to face that?
Organisation management must involve HR, PR and legal departments as they handle leaked nude pictures and video crises involving their staff. Companies must critically think through their reaction strategy. Decision to sack must be guided by the nature of the brand the employee works for. What message would a medical officer, teacher or kids programme host be sending out with their nude pictures if they work with known family brands in health, Media, education, and religious foundations. How do you leave a married staff member who appeared in sextapes not with her husband to continue hosting a wedding TV show? Your company may indirectly be seen to endorse adultery on a marriage show which is wrong. Sacking may be the answer. Public relations helps create maintain and protect the company reputation. Studies have shown that consumers often base their purchase decisions on a company's reputation, so public relations can have a definite impact on revenue.
Ivan N Baliboola.
PR & Organisational diagnosis specialist
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Ivan.N.Baliboola
0752304274
Twitter: @mediasurgeon
Websites
http://mediasurgeon.blogspot.com
http://www.scribd.com/baliboola
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