Employee perceptions of social media regulation and its impact on workplace culture and climate at a cleaning company

Abstract

This study explored employees' perceptions of social media usage regulation and its impact on organisational climate and culture. The study was motivated by the rising incidence of disciplinary actions and job losses related to social media use, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of social media etiquette within organisational settings. Social media's influence on organisational climate and culture was profound, yet the extent to which social media usage regulation affects these elements has been largely overlooked in prior research. This study sought to fill that gap by examining how such regulations shape employees' thoughts, feelings, and actions, which were critical to corporate reputation management. The research was grounded in the Uses and Gratifications theory, which examined the motivations behind social media usage, and the Configuration Model of Organisational Culture, which aimed to align organisational values with employee behaviour. A qualitative approach was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with 10 employees from Bokamoso Cleaning Solutions, a cleaning services company based in Welkom, within the Lejweleputswa District of the Free State Province, South Africa, to gather their perceptions of social media regulation. The findings revealed a significant communication gap between management and employees, with many employees uncertain about the existence of a social media policy within their organisation. Based on these findings, the study recommended the implementation of regular communication strategies to consistently reinforce and remind employees of the organisation's social media policies. This research contributed to a better understanding of the dynamics between social media regulation and organisational culture, offering valuable insights for both scholars and practitioners in the field of organisational communication.