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Bulletin boards are essential for the workplace—but when was the last time you really used yours? If you’re having trouble answering this question—or if the cobwebs hanging from the board tell the story all too well—you may be missing out on some of the many advantages of the company bulletin board.
Legal Requirements
Use the bulletin board to comply with your legal requirements to post state and federal information, including such items as the OSHA 300 log. It’s the employer’s responsibility to ensure this information is posted during the legally mandated time periods and the posters themselves are maintained and up to date.
Union Bulletin Boards
If your company is unionized, you may have negotiated a provision for the union to have a bulletin board, or share a space on the company board. If you’re allowing the union to post information, rules governing the information that the union is permitted to post are critical. Rules can include a prohibition on items that are ridiculing, defamatory or disparaging towards individuals, for example. The rules should also specify whether the materials must be reviewed or signed off by a member of management before posting, and who has the right to remove items from the board.
In many cases the union board can be a useful tool to build the employee-employer relationship, disseminating information jointly released from the labor management committee, for example. But tread carefully—even seemingly insignificant actions can be viewed as serious depending on the timing of the incident. For example, an employer who removes certain union postings immediately before a representation election can face an unfair practice charge.
Virtual Bulletin Boards
In today’s workplace, some employers question whether a physical bulletin board is still relevant or needed. As we spend more and more time online, a virtual board can seem like the most logical option, and there are many advantages to the electronic approach. But there are several major advantages to the physical board that a virtual alternative will never replace:
- You can make sure employees look at the board regularly. If a board is in the break room, or placed strategically above the time clock, it’s difficult for employees to claim they never had an opportunity to look at it. However, if employees claim they never logged into the virtual site, didn’t know how to access it, or didn’t click through to see the various policies in detail, it can be harder to demonstrate they were on notice of a particular issue.
- You can meet state and federal posting obligations. Depending on the specific language, you may not be able to meet the posting requirements with a virtual board.
- You can include emergency information. In a crisis employees can’t—and shouldn’t—take time to log in to the internet to find out emergency contact information or evacuation instructions. But a bulletin board above the fire extinguisher, in an easily accessible place can host a variety of useful emergency information.
Top Tips to Make the Most of Your Board
- Update the board regularly. If employees see federal and state posters are regularly updated, and policies are frequently revised, they’ll come to rely on the board as a source of information and guidance. Review the material on a regular basis and remove any outdated information.
- Comply with the policies you post. If you don’t adhere to the policies on the board, the bulletin board itself can become exhibit number one in the case against the company. Similarly, prevent any unauthorized, unwanted or harassing postings that could create liability for the organization. Use a locked glass door to prevent employee tampering and ensure all material is sanctioned and appropriate.
- Keep it relevant. If employees are interested in the content of the board, they’ll be more likely to check it and, as a result, see any changes to legislation, policy or practice. Include information to keep staff coming back, such as employee kudos and current job listings.
- Minimize the clutter! Divide the board into sections for easy reading. Don’t post multiple printed documents one on top of the other. Instead, print the most relevant excerpts from the policies and maintain a set of policy manuals, union contracts and employee handbooks somewhere close to the board for employees to refer to. Use color and different fonts to break up the board and keep it interesting.