Explain what is meant by the tip to “be active in establishing privacy policies for the HR decision-makers, employees, and job applicants.”

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

It is important to note that this author and others (Johnson & Gueutal, 2014) are currently not in favor of the use of SMW as part of the selection process (due to concerns about the validity of SMW information, applicant privacy, and the potential for adverse impact). If an organization decides to use social media for these purposes, certain steps should be taken. First, use SMWs that are professionally rather than socially oriented (e.g., LinkedIn). These types of sites are more likely to contain job-relevant information than social-oriented websites. Second, verify that decision-makers are using proper screening methods to ensure that they are not screening the wrong applicant and making recommendations based on false information. Third, consider having individuals not involved in the selection decision-making process screen the SMW for relevant data to ensure that data about protected classes are not shared with decision-makers. Fourth, be active in establishing privacy policies for the HR decision-makers, employees, and job applicants. Organizations need to implement fair information policies to increase individuals’ perceived control over information and decrease their negative reactions to these practices. For instance, organizational policies might provide advanced notice to applicants that SMW data will be collected during the selection process. In practice, employers could provide a disclosure form to applicants who are requesting a release of information and specifically refer to a company’s policy regarding access to SMW (Black et al., 2016).