Republic Bank to clarify social media political policy to staff

Communications and Marketing Manager at Republic Bank, Michelle Johnson explained that staff members may have misinterpreted what the circular really meant and an effort is now being made to clarify the issue. She said there is no attempt to silence workers of the bank.

Republic Bank to clarify social media political policy to staff

Following concerns expressed by some staff members and hundreds of persons on social media, Republic Bank Guyana has decided to reissue a circular to its staff in an effort to clarify its position on their political postings on their private social media pages.

Some staff members complained that the bank was attempting to keep them quiet on political issues on social media by warning them that action could be taken for partisan political posts.

However, Communications and Marketing Manager at Republic Bank, Michelle Johnson explained that staff members may have misinterpreted what the circular really meant and an effort is now being made to clarify the issue. She said there is no attempt to silence workers of the bank.

Johnson told News Source on Monday that it is not and has never been the intention of the bank to prevent staff members from taking part in political discussions on social media but such discussion should be respectful and sensitive especially if the employees would have the bank listed as their place of work.

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She explained to News Source that in any election period, the bank would issue a circular to staff members informing them of the responsibility they ought to showcase. Johnson said this year, the bank decided to include social media postings in the circular after it was brought to management’s attention that some staff members were making disrespectful remarks and posting insensitive caricatures of political leaders from all sides on their private pages.

“We cannot see disrespectful or insensitive postings and be silent about it”, Johnson said as she noted that staff members are the brand of the bank.

“Who staff members vote for is their business, who they support is their business. All we are doing is reminding them that their postings and public statements ought to respectful especially when they have the bank’s name attached to their pages”.

Johnson said supervisors and managers were asked to explain the circular in detail to their staff members but she is convinced based on the complaints to News Source by some staff members, that they may not have been too clear on the issue and there was need for some clarification.

She said a new circular explaining details of the bank’s position on the issue should be issued before the end of the Monday working day.

A section of the original circular pointed to the bank’s reputation and its non-partial position on race, politics and religion among other issues. ‘

The Communications Manager said once employees put themselves out in the public space, they then would need to follow the bank’s reputation and conduct themselves in a manner that is in line with the bank’s policies.

 

 

 

 

 

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