Notes from pOD episode 23: for this twenty-third episode, we discuss the issue of the right to disconnect on social networks. Find below the main elements discussed during this episode (as a reminder, these are notes ????), as well as various links and useful resources to deepen your reflection.
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Foreword
Why are we discussing this subject? The idea of this subject comes to us from discussions within the agency that we had following a Linkedin post by Bryan. The subject : the received idea that Social Media Managers and Community Managers do not disconnectmore. In indeed, many CMs say they never cut. Others think that there is nothing to worry about, and that those who fail are just not putting in goodwill.
This subject has even worsened with teleworking, because the frontier between professional and personal life has become more and more porous. However, “cutting” is the assurance of being serene, fulfilled and creative at work.
Said like that, it seems simple. The problem is that for some jobs it is more difficult. On this point, Community Managers and Social Media Managers are not left out.
Fortunately, solutions exist. Our guest Alexandre Cherré, Social Media Manager of the City of Nantes and Nantes Métropole shares with us his feedback on the subject.
So how do you manage to disconnect? How can we organize ourselves? That’s what we’ll see in this new podcast episode.
The speakers on this podcast episode thereby are :
- Gwen, West Digital social media project manager
- Bryan, co-founder of Ouest Digital
- Alexandre, guest
Axis 1 – The right to disconnect: the fundamentals
The right to disconnect is directly enshrined in the famous Labor Law of 2016, in force since January 1, 2017:
« Outside of working hours, all employees are not required to be permanently reachable by their employer for reasons related to the performance of their work. In the context of teleworking, implemented exceptionally or not, the right to disconnect also applies ».
???? Source : Public Service, official website of the French administration
But in fact, the right to disconnect is often just a declaration of good intentions :
- more than 2/3 of French executives use their professional digital tools in the evenings and weekends (source: Opinion way survey for the Eléas firm, 2018)
- 67% of French people do not manage to get off work during their holidays (source: Qapa, 2019)
But why then that it is written in the Law? BecauseCompanies are supposed to organize the disconnection, but they cannot be penalized.
Moreover, all this has even worsened with teleworking.
Axis 2 – Organize your disconnection from social networks
“The notion of a team is important. We rely on each other a lot to be able to cut. “- Alexander
It is first and foremost the establishment of a team that promotes disconnection. Internal organization will thus allow everyone to be able to blow and cut.
And no matter the size of your structure, you must be able to count on your team to support you.
When we talk about a team, we talk about all the people who surround you on a daily basis. This notion of a team should not stop with people who do the same job as you.
Indeed, maybe you are the only one in your company doing the job you do. Therefore, try to create an organization where you involve the rest of the team, even if they are not specialists in social networks.
“For weekends, we have an on-call system with Community Managers and journalists who follow one another to be able to communicate in the event of a crisis. “- Alexander
This system allows the whole team to to be able to blow and cut. Likewise, that it allows the hierarchy to be able to count on someone in the event of a crisis and / or emergency.
Of course, for this to work people need to be trained and at ease, to be able to take control and act independently if necessary.
“The on-call penalty is triggered in the event of a crisis or urgent communication. “- Alexander
But beware: the on-call system must be supervised and paid. It must serve only in case of crisis or emergency. This scenario must remain exceptional.
“It can quickly overflow and we can quickly want to catch up or anticipate the work of the week to come. This is why a framework has been put in place. “- Alexander
It is therefore important to set limits.
For example: Moderate comments uniquely on working hours.
“Once again, teamwork is everything. In the event of a crisis, anyone can take matters into their own hands thanks to our organization, our processes, our training, etc. “- Alexander
Unity is strength. And it’s all aboutorganisation.
It is better tohave a process put in place, a procedure to follow, which will serve as a guideline for the person who will have to manage the crisis. This makes it possible to be more efficient and to reassure the person.
Let’s not forget that the people who intervene in the event of an on-call duty are not necessarily CMs, they are just trained people. We must therefore support them.
Once the process is in place, you can use tools like :
- Agorapulse to schedule publications in advance, publish and optimize the moderation process;
- Asana to get organized and assign tasks to other people.
“To make Internet users wait, we have set up an automatic response system to notify them when they will have a response. “- Alexander
Moreover, the Net surfer understands better and better that the CM cut in the evening or the weekend. The profession is democratizing.
It is increasingly easy to make Internet users understand that it works like a store: we respect the opening hours. On social networks, it’s the same ????
“The position of the hierarchy is also very important. “- Alexander
Hierarchy plays an important role also in the disconnection of collaborators.
Indeed, if your managers push in this direction, teams will get into the habit of disconnecting after their working hours. They also need to lead by example.
Conversely, people will tend to remain available “just in case”.
Axis 3 – Tips and advice
Our advices to successfully disconnect from social networks when you are a Community Manager or Social Media Manager:
✅ Turn off notifications. It sounds silly and yet there are many who don’t. The fact of no longer seeing them is much less of an incentive to go and see what is going on. Thus, you take back control: it is you who choose to go to your social networks (and not the other way around).
✅ Put away your business phone and / or computer. If you ever can’t help but “take a quick look at…”, put your work tools in a drawer. Thus, you will be much less tempted to watch ????
✅ Have a dedicated place to work. With the democratization of teleworking, it has become all the more important to compartmentalize your professional and personal life at home. Having a place (no matter the size) dedicated to your work will help you disconnect when your day is over.
✅ Partition social networks according to your needs. For example, you may decide that LinkedIn and Twitter only serve you for the pro. So we leave the applications closed outside of our working hours or at least on weekends.
✅ Escape from work. In the case of our guest, the fact of leaving Nantes for a weekend or a vacation helps him get away from his job. Everything that happens in his city necessarily brings him back to his work, so it’s not easy to cut!
Conversely, here is mistakes not to make :
❌ Administer the accounts of his clients with his personal accounts. There, you are sure not to cut because your watch will mingle with your personal news feed, as well as the notifications.
❌ Follow the accounts of his clients with his personal accounts. This is a false good idea. While it may start with a good feeling to want to follow them, the posts of your customers will interfere with your personal interests.
To conclude this topic
The key words to properly disconnect social networks:
- Balance to find a balance between professional and personal life on social networks. But also a balance between the workloads assigned to you and your colleagues;
- Respiration to find moments in order to breathe outside the networks (the “digital detox” you know? ????) and leave the work aside;
- Team : share with your colleagues the issues, constraints and the workload you have. They will give it back to you!
Here is a recap ‘to keep under the elbow ????
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