A good number of staff where I work set up a group chat, and were disciplined because it turned into a bitchfest, and gradually crossed the line into bullying, character assassination and false information being shared about other staff who were unaware of the group chat.

I'm not entirely sure how senior management became aware of it but I got the impression someone from the group was eventually targeted.

My advice would be to never put anything into writing about the company or other staff that you wouldn't want revealed. Keep it verbal with a very small number of staff you trust completely, or if you have a serious issue, address it professionally in the work environment.

I never saw the content of the group chat but I know the confidence and self-esteem of some staff was destroyed by both the personal and professional attacks. My only guess is that a mob mentality must have taken hold.

That is how it is meant to work..Garfies example is what is can turn into :laugh:

we use Slack for work messaging etc and it's proven to be remarkably professional :laugh:

I often leave tibb open on the works computer, I hope you dont.:joker:

Ahh I miss slack. We transitioned to MS Teams, because that's what most organizations use. It was a good decision in hindsight, given that in 2020 pretty much all communication with other organizations has been online via Teams, HOWEVER... Slack was just so much nicer to use. Teams has improved a lot over the last 12 months but it's still trash and I wish we still used Slack :bawling:.

We had a work forum...its obvious management will moderate it. You just had to be very careful how you worded things. Its common sense...
However when a company tracks and takes action on things posted on Facebook etc...I think that is wrong.

Oh we have a bitch when we talk face to face. Would never leave evidence. :smug:

Of course, that’s normal :laugh:

What a xxxxxxx ffxxxxx@xxxx/xxxx &xxxxxxxccc

Oh hi Cherie

We can't use work comps for anything other than work :/ I read the news on them when it's not busy. I said it's either that or sit looking at my phone, and how profesh does that look?
My argument was they can't expect us to be at work for 12hrs with no access to information during a pandemic...they agreed lol

Can't you do it in break times?.. what break times!?

(Manager scuttles away)

What if nhs workers were sacked for slagging off their bosses, and working conditions during covid, in tweets and WhatsApp etc.

Again complaining about working conditions and bad decisions made by bosses should be totally fine - what isn't fine is turning that into a baseless ad-hominem.

"I think Betty made a stupid decision and we're all suffering for it" - valid.

"Betty made a stupid decision what a daft fugly old ****" - disciplinary time.

If you want to be doubly careful, say "the management team" instead of "Bob and Betty".

Sounds like this forum sometimes..

What if there is one bad apple amongst a team of brilliant Bob n Betty's.. shouldn't a work chat allow you to single out that apple?, if the work set up the chat room/facillity/room

As long as you don't call them body odour bob or stuff, then it should be allowed..

If it's one bad apple then the right thing to do would be to go to the rest of management about that bad apple, and they would do something about it. If you can't go to them, or they wouldn't do anything about it, then it ain't just one bad apple.