The survey revealed our nation’s employees don’t shy away from displaying other forms of substance abuseA study by employment law solicitors, Thomas Mansfield, has revealed that 51% of Brits wouldn’t think twice about posting a photo of themselves drunk on social media profiles.
Of the 51% that would post a photo, and despite the well-documented potential repercussions of such behaviour, well over half – a shocking 67% – have already posted a photo of themselves drunk and disorderly on their social media profiles.
The survey revealed our nation’s employees don’t shy away from displaying other forms of substance abuse, as 14% of Brits revealed that they have posted a photo of themselves using drugs on social media platforms. On top of this, 24% of UK workers don’t see such behaviour as a problem.
Meredith Hurst, Partner at Thomas Mansfield, explains why this sort of behaviour can reap all sorts of consequences:
“You might think that your social media profiles are your own private domain, but this is unfortunately not the case. Users of social media should have no expectation of privacy. In the current job market, potential employers are increasingly turning to social media to research candidates, so it’s important you present them with a picture that reflects you as a reliable and dependable candidate.”
“Current employees can also find themselves in hot water by posting inappropriate content to social media. Pictures of drug use or excessive drinking can reflect badly on businesses since it could damage a company’s image and reputation.”
Even with the dire potential consequences, a significant proportion of the country never perform essential housekeeping on their profiles, with 23% never checking to see if their social media profiles are free of offensive or risky material. On top of this, 12% simply don’t care how their social media profiles looks to others.
“We may think that our profiles are quite hidden, but often this simply isn’t the case. If a client, partner or supplier were to see such content, it could seriously undermine their perception of the company. It’s prudent to do a bit of housekeeping on your profiles once in a while to make sure you’re presenting the right impression”
Other stats the survey found:
- 57% thought it was fine to complain about a disappointing pay rise on social media
- Only 27% thought posting updates about their personal life during work time could land you in trouble
- 48% were comfortable posting about their political agendas
- 44% are happy to have a public argument on social media
- 36% would post religious content
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