Social media has become an essential part of one’s life in this generation.

Especially nowadays that the ways and tools in maintaining friendships, making new
connections, pointing out an opinion or even trying to make one’s sentiments be
heard are literally held by an individual’s own hands. Working organizations are not
excused to the impacts brought by the emergence of these new technologies.
Hence, it is with no doubt safe to say that these changes also altered the ways in
which one works and the organization’s manner of running its company, particularly,
the ways in handling the members. The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, once said,
“The only thing that is constant is change.” With the quote standing true, human
beings are left with no choice but to adapt to these changes and be able to make
something out from them. It is human nature to adapt to our surroundings. Being
mammals that we are, we adapt to our ecosystem – may it be changes in our
physical environment or changes brought about the advancement of technology.
Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, or more popularly known as the
Bill of Rights, explicitly lays down the laws that protect and individual’s life, liberty,
and property. Included in those laws is one’s freedom of speech or his or her liberty
to express himself or herself. Although our freedom of speech is protected by the
law, said freedom is not absolute. However, the problem arises when we are to
identify the limits of our freedom of expression. How free is an individual in posting
his or her sentiments online? How do we define “going overboard”? When is one
considered in violation? Can a personal post from an employee’s personal social
networking site account be used to justify giving him or her a disciplinary action?
Social media posts may serve as grounds for an employer to give an
employee a disciplinary action provided that the posts in question are
inappropriate and violates policies of the business which is clearly stated in
the business/ by laws and policies.
As in the case of Rebecca Simbillo, one of the cases decided by the Supreme
Court in GR No. 207315 - INTERADENT ZAHNTECHNIK PHILIPPINES, INC.,
BERNARDINO G. BANTEGUI, JR. and SONIA J. GRANDEA, vs.REBECCA F.
SIMBILLO, wherein Interadent, the company where Ms. Simbillo was working as
Finance and Accounting manager; and Treasurer at the same time, filed for a
petition to review the Court of Appeals’ decision stating that the dismissal of
respondent Ms. Simbillo on the ground of loss of trust and confidence was invalid.
This stemmed from the alleged disclosure of the company’s confidential information
in one of Ms. Simbillo’s posts on a social networking site called Facebook.
The Supreme Court held that the petition lacks merit. The evidence presented
did not support the claim. Furthermore, the Supreme Court stated “As a managerial
employee, the existence of a basis for believing that Simbillo has breached the trust
of petitioners justifies her dismissal. However, to be a valid ground, loss of trust and
confidence must be based on willful breach of trust, that is, done intentionally,
knowingly and purposely, without justifiable excuse, as distinguished from an act
done carelessly, thoughtlessly, heedlessly, or inadvertently.”
A similar case was featured by BBC in an article entitled “I Lost My Job over a
Facebook post – was that fair?” Rachel Burns had worked for Park Hall, a residential
care home for the elderly in England, for 21 years. She was terminated from her job
for posting photos and videos from an event in the said care home that showed a
resident of Park Hall, whom she had identified. Such action was considered a breach
of Surrey County Council policy. Surrey County Council is a council administering
certain services in the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England (Wikipedia,
2018).
Organizations are composed of relationships; and relating these relationships
with the causes and effects to the company. Therefore, it can be stated that
organizations are built in a controlled environment. Control, as defined, is the power
to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events. It is the restriction of
an activity, tendency, or phenomenon. Also, it is defined as a means of limiting or
regulating something. Organizational control, therefore, is the process of assigning,
evaluating, and regulating resources on an ongoing basis to accomplish
organization’s goals (Cliffnotes, 2016). It is the process wherein the manager
assures the actual performance, work and outputs of the members conform with plan
of the entire organization. Organizational controls ensure that the plans and the
organization itself are effective. Hence, these restrictions are mandatory for an
organization to work efficiently and effectively.
Disciplinary actions are used as part of the methods of control in an
organization. Controls are needed to maintain a harmonious relationship among
workers and peaceful working environment in the organization. With times changing,
and technology advancing, organizations must also adapt to the changes they face
through time. Hence, a call for a change or addition of regulations or restraints to
maintain the productive status quo of the organization and be able to achieve and
accomplish the desired goals of the company. Furthermore, it is a manager’s job to
directly supervise his or her subordinates as another method of control. The
managers supervise the progress of the work process, decisions and actions of the
employees, in particular through immediate contact and communication with the
subordinate who performs his/her tasks (Janićijević, 2011). This type of method of
control allows the manager to act in accordance with the organization’s by-laws if he
or she notices deviations that would hamper businesses process and that would
seem unfit in achieving the organization’s goals.