Is it a conflict of interest if my spouse’s company is a vendor?

Yes — it can be a conflict of interest. If your spouse works for a company that does business with your employer, the relationship could influence, or appear to influence, business decisions and must be disclosed.

Scenario (0:40): Watch how an employee navigates a harassment dilemma when a surreptitious photo of a coworker is shared on social media sites.

Below is a transcript of a real-world scenario illustrating how social media misuse can affect workplace culture.

EMPLOYEE Question

One of my colleagues took a picture of a coworker leaning over with his underwear sticking out. She texted it to some friends and coworkers and put it on several social media sites.

That’s not a big deal, is it?

FEEDBACK
This is definitely a problem for a couple of reasons. First, taking the picture was inappropriate. Then, sharing the picture with others on social media compounds the problem and could be considered bullying.

Regardless of whether the photo was not intended to be harmful or humorous, this incident should not occur in the workplace and will not be tolerated.

Why This Matters

Harassment and bullying that occur on social media can spill into the workplace and create a hostile work environment. Employee online conduct, especially when involving colleagues, can reflect directly on workplace culture and violate company harassment or code-of-conduct policies.

What Policy Applies

Your company’s anti-harassment, anti-bullying, and social media policies apply to conduct that affects the workplace, whether it happens on or off company property. Harassment that creates a hostile work environment, whether online or in person, can violate these policies and may trigger corrective action.

Top Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it still harassment if I intended it as a joke?

  • Yes. Harassment is defined by the impact on the victim and the work environment, not the intent of the person engaging in the behavior.

  • Humor is never a defense for behavior that compromises a coworker’s dignity.

What if I only shared the photo with “friends” in a private group?

If the photo features a coworker and was taken in the workplace, it violates the Code of Conduct.

Personal social media use is subject to company policy if it impacts the work environment or colleagues.

Is taking a photo without permission a violation?

Yes. Taking inappropriate or surreptitious photos of colleagues in the workplace is an invasion of privacy and a breach of workplace conduct standards.

What should I do if I see a coworker being “cyberbullied” by another colleague?

You should report it to HR or use the compliance hotline.

Leadership has a responsibility to create and support an environment where individuals feel safe and respected.

Does off-duty social media activity ever fall under company policy?

Yes. If it involves coworkers, affects the workplace, or violates company policies, it may fall under harassment or code-of-conduct enforcement.

What should I do if I see harassment on social media?

Report the incident through HR, your ethics hotline, or your company’s reporting channels; timely reporting helps protect employees and supports a respectful work environment.

How do companies define workplace social media harassment?

Companies define workplace social media harassment as online conduct that targets coworkers and creates a hostile or intimidating work environment.
Harassment can include posts, images, messages, or comments that are offensive, threatening, or humiliating.
If online behavior affects the workplace, it may fall under company harassment or conduct policies.

How to use Compliance Scenarios in your training program

Don’t just teach your workplace social media harassment policy once. Xcelus recommends waiting three days after your core harassment/social media training. Then push this ‘Social Media Bullying’ scenario to learners. This resets the forgetting curve and creates the ‘stickiness’ needed to ensure employees understand that workplace dignity extends beyond the office walls and into the digital world.

This scenario is part of our broader library of real-world compliance scenarios addressing ethical decision-making.  Browse our library of short scenarios covering gifts and entertainment, accurate records, and workplace social media harassment.