Hi, I'm Britney Saunders, and welcome to Big Business, the place where business is far from boring. And today I'm recording on a wobbicle land. Now I somehow manage to build an empire from the garage underneath my house and I'm here to share it all with you, from the winds,
the mistakes, the challenging times, and the funny moments in between. So, whether you're in business already, perhaps you're not in the game at all, Maybe you're just looking for some inspo, or you simply just want to hear the tea, this is the podcast for you.
Now.
Coming up on today's episode, I'm.
Going for it.
I'm going to talk in depth about everything to do with putting your staff on social media, the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between.
Now we are in an.
Era of EGC, which is employee generated content, and it's everywhere and especially in Australia. There are some prominent brands, especially on TikTok, where their whole brand is their staff members being on social media. And I myself, I feel like I'm qualified enough to speak on this because I've been posting myself online for about fifteen years and I've been posting my staff on social media for maybe a
good seven years now, basically ever since Fate began. And whilst this is super new and super exciting and fun and everyone's loving it and we're seeing employees turn into little content creators, it can also come with massive risks. So let this episode be a bit of tea but also advice from me, someone that has been in the game for a long long time and someone who employees seventy people. I feel like I'm the most qualified person
in Australia to speak on this. And hey, this can also be a lesson to any business owners out there who are in the position where they have staff on social media or maybe they're thinking about it, because as cool as it can be and as fun as it can be, it can also completely fuck your business up, if I'm being honest. So without further ado, let's just get straight down to business. Well, well, well, where do
I begin with putting staff on socials? It really has become a trend and I've seen a lot of people talking about it online and I also saw this one video in particular who was by a creator I can't remember their name, but she was saying it popped up on my for you page and she said she thinks that this trend of staff in social media is going to die soon and that it's going to become a thing of the past, which is crazy to think, but
I kind of agree. And the tricky thing with putting staff on socials and like having a face of the brand is it's kind of being done now by a lot of businesses in Australia to the point now where if someone was to start doing it now, it's like not new and exciting anymore because everyone's already kind of doing it, like it's quite literally become a trend. And what I want to talk about today is like the behind the scenes of doing something like this. And I
can speak from my own experience. I have staff on socials, and whilst it can be super fun, super beneficial for your business, there's so many risks involved. And I want I hope that business owners out there listen to this, who may be doing this already or thinking about it, because there's so many layers to putting your staff on socials,
and so I'm going to talk you through. I guess what it is like to have your staff on social media and all of the things that I guess I have in place and all the stuff that I've learned over the years. So I guess I'll start with talking about the brands that we do see on socials. And I'm not throwing anyone under the bus here, but obviously the biggest brands in Australia, which is still kind of like smallish businesses.
But the brands that are like doing this.
The most is obviously your Sofa Dofa with her all for Mimi and her newest employee, Bailey. He is like the face of their brand on TikTok. You've also got the Jazz hand Made team and their whole team is on their tiktoks, as well as the Remy by Riiley team. It's three of them, and it's so interesting speculating these brands, and obviously we do it too, We've been doing it forever.
It's interesting watching these brands.
Because they're obviously a lot smaller teams, and just from my own perspective and experience, watching like the lives of these employees unfold, it reminds me a lot of when I first started Fate, because I just see it from a different angle to everyone else, and the reason why it reminds me of that is because I can tell that they're all good friends.
I can tell that they're all just having fun.
And it really does remind me of when I first started Fate and I speak about this a lot on my pod, just how different my whole business was back in the day when I had, you know, two to three employees and we're all just having fun.
We're all hanging out.
And I see their videos pop up for me all the time, and they're making all their content at work, but then they're going out for drinks and hanging out and it's super fun. But I also think, holy shit, like I hope that these businesses have some proper structure in place, because the lines can become so blurred when
you're having that much fun with your staff. Now, don't get me wrong, I love having fun with my staff too, but I learned a long time ago, years ago, when I ran into a few instances where those lines had become super blurred, and it was like, are we friends or are we employee and boss? And I think I can say this, I mean I say everything here on Big Business. It's a little secret safe space on the internet.
I so vividly remember back in my early early days when I just had, you know, three people working for me and maybe like two casuals and we had the one store. One of the defining moments for me back then. And this would have been five years ago, Like this is so long ago.
Now.
I had an employee that was working for me and she would always be late, always be late. And I, mind you, this is five years ago, Like I'm a little baby business owner. I have no idea what I'm doing. And I had become really good friends with this girl. We were hanging out outside of work. We were going to the pub, we were going out, we were getting drunk, and it was all good and fun and that was great for me at the time.
But I didn't realize that I couldn't do that.
Kind of stuff because it's just not what you should be doing when you're running a workplace. And she would always be late, and I remember I would kind of bring it up to her and I would kind of mention to the whole team. And by the whole team, I mean like the whole three people that were working for me.
But I'd kind of say, you know, like let's all get to work on time.
And it would be a lot of sorry, like that's just me and that's just who I am, and I would kind of laugh it off because we were friends.
You know.
I didn't have that boundary set in place or that sense of authority in my workplace that no, I'm the boss and I if I tell you that I need you to show up on time like everyone else, I'm
serious when I say that. And it got to the point where I didn't know what else to do, because, like I'd said a billion times, like you need to be on time, Like you can't just keep being late every day, and it was by like fifteen minutes and twenty minutes, like it was always all over the shop, and this person would always say, sorry, that's just who
I am as a person. And now me now in twenty twenty five, if I had a staff member that was consistently showing up late and I was saying to them, look, you need to be on time, if they said to me, I'm sorry, that's just who I am as a person, I would straight away say you can't, like that's that doesn't slide in a workplace like fair enough if you're late to everything, but showing up on time is showing respect to your whole team and everyone else that's showing
up on time, Whereas back then I was a little fucking pussy, so I didn't know what to say, and I'd be like, Okay, well try next time, Like you know, I just wasn't assertive, and so it got to the point where I had no choice but to give this staff member a warning letter. Now, I'd never given anyone a warning letter because my business was basically brand new and I had like two and a half staff members. So I sent it to her in an email because that's how fucking petrified I was.
And I sent it with.
This massive, long winded email about I know that we're friends, and I'm so sorry to be doing this to you, but I feel like you're giving me no other choice and I don't want to be doing this. And again, reflecting on back then, I should have sat her down in person, but I was friends with this girl. I didn't know how to be a boss. I'd never been a manager or a leader in my life. Like I
was doing everything wrong. The whole thing blew up in my face, even though I was so nice in my email, and I was like, I really don't want to be doing this, but please just be on time, like, here's this letter, read it, get back to me, blah blah blah.
And because I.
Had allowed the lines to be blurred between us being friends and employee and boss, it was I can't believe you've.
Done this to me. How dare you?
You know? Because the workplace wasn't solid, It wasn't a me being the boss and her being my team member. It was us being friends, having fun every day, fucking around, drinking on the weekend. And it absolutely blew up in my face. And that was one of those moments for me where I went, holy shit, I don't think I can be friends with my staff. And so back to all these businesses and brands that we see on social media.
While it's all fun and games like it reminds me of back then when I would be so casual with my staff and go out for drinks and I'd be involved in their relationship drama and tea and everything. You just can't fucking run a workplace like that, take it from me. Especially if you want your workplace and your business to grow bigger and bigger, and if you want to become something amazing, you cannot.
You can't be besties with your staff hanging out.
And that's one thing that I notice in these videos that I see online. Whether it's just for the cameras and maybe they're not friends, I can't say, but this is just what I see from the outside in. Now, what is it like to put your staff on social media? Obviously it can be amazing and fun, and it can make your business absolutely blow up. Versus you know, paying an influencer a heap of money and hoping that they
can make your business go viral. Your staff member could make an off the cuff video on their lunch break and it could absolutely blow up your business, which is amazing. With us and our workplace, we obviously have familiar faces that people see popping up on our social media across Instagram and TikTok.
And one thing that we are massive on is consent.
So obviously there are people hired in our business and it's part of their job description that they are going to be in content. You know, for example, our social media team, when they're doing their interview process with us, you know, it's in conversation, it's in their employee contract. Are you willing to be in our social media content? And they're signing up for that, and they know that no.
One is being exploited.
And when that one particular TikTok video that I saw of someone talking about this popped up, I remember reading all of the comments and people were saying, like, these staff are being exploited. I think when someone is applying to be the face of the brand on social media, they know that they're going to be the face of
the brand on social media. I can't speak for these other businesses, but I'm ninety nine percent sure every staff member that is on the social media of a brand they know that, and they're willing to do that, and they've signed up for that. Now, in terms of our other staff, like every now and then you might see like a team video or a team post. We are
massive on consent every single time. So let's say, for example, I'm going to the warehouse and I'd love to do a video where I need like a bunch of people in it, like it can't just be April and I. We will then go around the warehouse, or we'll even let them know the day before, Hey, we're coming over
and we're filming this cool trend. We need like five people If anyone wants to be in it, and our staff that aren't hired to be on our social media have every right to say to me, I don't feel like being in it today, and I take absolutely no offense to that. And that's what we're massive on is just only putting people on social media if they say yes, and one day they might be in a video and the next day they might be like, nah, not today,
and we're like that is more than fine. There's no expectation in our workplace that people have to be in content. It's quite literally just if they want to be in it. Absolutely I'm going to love that, and we're going to make content with them. But in no circumstance would anyone ever be forced to be put on our socials. And if there is someone that says to me, I never want to be on your social media. I don't want you to show my face anywhere, I would one hundred
percent respect that, and that is so so fine. Now, going back to that TikTok video that I saw, I'm gonna have to find that because I want to stitch the video and like talk about this episode. There were also a lot of comments surrounding Sofa Dofa and Bailey And for those of you that don't know Sofa Dofa is like an Australian influencer and she started a clothing brand called All for Mimi, and then she's hired Bailey as like the content creator in the face of the brand.
But from what it seems on social media, she's hired him for this position. But it seems that they've become best friends because just the way that they are gallivanting around the world together, it looks like they're really really good friends. And again that's just my observation from social media. If for Dofa goes on a lot of brand trips, she went to Coachella, She's been going all over and
Bailey is right there with her. And so all these comments that I saw on this other person's tiktoks were like, where do they draw the line? Like they're sharing a bed every night, he's running to go and get her food like almost like an assistant. And then he was saying that he's really tired in one of the in one of the videos, and then people were coming to his defense saying, well, he'd just been a Coachella, of course he's tired and he's on a different time zone.
And people were also saying how do these staff members get compensated for these trips? You know, like are they getting paid or are they just there for the free trip?
How does it work?
And I can't speak to any other company, but the way that our staff get paid. For example, if we are doing let's use our fate model search for example, I had Kim Claire and April traveling around to do our model search with myself, and they get paid for their regular working day, like they always do their eight hour day, and then if they do any overtime let's say, for example, like it ends up being a ten hour day, like they'll get paid for the ten hours and then start.
Our staff also get a travel allowance. So not only will they be getting paid for like their standard day and the work that they're doing, but they'll also get paid for the time that we're sitting at the airport, the time that we're traveling on the plane, the time that we're traveling in the uber. The moment that they stop getting paid is when we all stop and we're just absolutely chilling.
And again, like I can't.
Say how sofa dovera pays Bailey or how anyone pays anyone when they're taking them on these trips. But I would only assume that they are being fairly compensated for all of their travel time. When people are traveling, we also cover all of their meals, obviously, their accommodation. What else, April's in the studio here with me, Everything, absolutely everything. But again, I've never taken like you, for example, on an overseas trip, Aprils.
Not yet, she's saying.
So I can't speak to those other businesses that have taken their staff overseas, but I can only assume that they would have some sort of agreement in place that's you know, you're going to get paid for the hours that we're working, like we'll work eight hours a day, and then also for any travel time, transit time waiting at the airport. If the flight's delayed and we're just sitting there for hours, the girls will earn money for
all of those hours. If our flight got delayed in Melbourne or something, one time we will sit in there for hours. They will get paid for every hour that we're waiting, as well as all of their food and coffees and everything in between. So we obviously make sure that our staff are being compensated in that way, and I guess talking to the points that were made about them sharing a bed and needing to have time apart, I think that comes down to what works for them.
I know, this whole thing of staff being on socials and going on overseas trips, it is an HR nightmare for those of you that are in HR. Just the thought of it is a HR person's nightmare. But when we traveled around for our Fate Model search, like we just say, like, does anyone want to share a room?
You know?
And then I think Kim and Claire were happy to share a room some nights April and I had our own rooms, and then other nights we were together and we really don't mind. But I would only hope that these businesses and business owners would have it in them to kind of say to their employee, you know, are you wanting to bunk with me? Would you prefer your
own space? Because at the end of the day, when it comes to workplaces, it's all about that open communication and getting consent for everything from content all the way through to what they're do you want to sleep in?
And do you want to listen to me?
Snoring, but I don't snore, so April's in luck for the times that she's.
Shared shared in bed with me. Actually, I'm calling you out apes.
You have a little snore sometimes, but it's only like little, so I can deal with it.
If it's an aj kind of snore. We're getting separate rooms. Now.
Onto the risks that come with putting staff on socials and what happens when they leave. This is where the lines become so blurred and business owners have to be so careful.
Whilst it's amazing.
To have a face of your brand and have one of your employees kind of dominating your social media, what does happen if that staff member leaves one day? What happens if that staff member is being late all the time and you behind the scenes have to give them a warning letter and they say, how fucking dare you give this warning letter to me, even though I was the one being late. What happens then when they're so within your community. I mean, your guess is as good
as mine. And we have had people over the years that have been a part of our Fate team and they have been in videos and then they've left, maybe they've moved overseas, maybe they went and got a job somewhere else. And then you will have people commenting, and I've experienced this myself. You'll have people commenting, where did so and so go? Like why is so and so
not in the videos anymore. That's when it becomes very confusing because you're platforming your staff and they're becoming a social figure.
But at the end of the day, you're running a workplace.
And I think what a lot of people don't realize, and because when people ask like where's so and so or what's the tea?
Why did she leave?
You know, I think people don't realize people come and go from workplaces every single day all around the world. And I've spoken about this before in other episodes of mine, but I have come to terms with the fact that not everyone's going to work at Fate Forever the same way. Not everyone's going to work it all for men forever the same way. Everyone's not going to work it remy by Riley Forever. People come and go from jobs all the time, and it's not tea if someone leaves a workplace.
In fact, that's one of the most normal things that happens in workplace places. Sorry, staff turnover is a part of every business. Even if you are this crazy social media business with a massive following and an engaged audience, staff are going to come and go. I think it's important that if someone does leave, whether it's on good
terms or bad terms, that the business remains professional. And I think that's one thing I'm worried to see in the future with all of these businesses, ourselves included, Like I can almost see not a scandal happening, but I would hate to see, like something bad happen with a staff member that is really well known on social media and then for it to all kind of crumble, you know. I can just see it happening now, someone leaving a workplace and being like this is really what happened, and
it turning into a massive drama. And I think that is one of the risks that comes with you putting your staff on social media is one day they could turn around and decide that they don't like you anymore and they don't like your workplace, and then they could go to social media and say all these horrible things
about you. And I think especially with cancel culture and how everyone's getting canceled every second day, like it seems lately, rightfully, so if they've done something wrong, it is just so it's so risky, and that's just the risk that you take when you decide I'm going to put one of
my staff members on social media. In a nutshell, I think that having staff on socials is obviously a massive trend right now, and it's something that we do, but it's not something that I'd say we do to the extreme, and I think, as for me, I would rather prioritize having myself, as I guess, the main face of Fate and our brand, and of course like have our social
media team on board. But I'm definitely not in the position where I'm wanting to put one person at the forefront of our socials and make it all about them for their own sake and also for the sake of Fate's future. The other thing that comes with all of this, and luckily we are in a great position where we have a great community and everyone loves seeing our staff
and getting to know them. But another danger of putting your staff on socials is obviously the videos that you're posting of them landing on the wrong side of the internet. This is just another thing that businesses and business owners have to be so careful of when you're putting your staff member out there, you're just flinging them into an already massive, established community. It's not like me where I've been online for fifteen years and I'm used to getting
people commenting things about me. I'm used to having people say maybe horrible things about me, and it's water off a duck's back. But if you're putting your staff member out there and someone's commenting something horrible about them, how is that going to affect them and their mental health?
There is just so many elements to putting your staff on socials, and whilst it is cool and fun and a trend and people love it like audience love, audiences are loving engaging with these staff members of these businesses. My advice to business owners out there is be careful with it and have your structures in place in the background, and also set so many boundaries between yourself and your staff because it's only going to benefit all of you.
I would hope that these smaller brands that I see that are all over socials and where it seems like they're all great friends, I would hope that they're still doing one on ones and check ins. I hope that there's team meetings. I hope that there's performance reviews in place. I hope it's just not all fun and games, because one day that.
Will all come to a head.
I personally, I personally think, yes, we love having fun with our staff, Yes we love having fun on social media. But what's more important at the end of the day is that there is boundaries set in place, is that there is productive meetings happening, is that there is open communication happening and no one.
Is being exploited at the end of the day.
And that would be my advice to any owners out there is yet have fun with your staff on socials. Make sure that they are consenting to being in content, but also be having a productive workplace in the background. Because while it's so fun for it to be all fun and games, trust me, I've been there in my early days, it can absolutely bite you in the bum. Do I think that staff being in social media is going to be something that we see forever. No, I
think something else is going to come out. But I do think it is fun for us to be participating in this kind of stuff. Now, you know it is fun, but as business owners, We have to be extremely careful. We have to be cautious of putting people online, exposing them to audiences. And at the end of the day, we have to prioritize our businesses being structured, our employees being cared for, nurtured, and that we're catering to them
and their feelings and their needs and wants. And also, like above all those boundaries need to be so so strong for the business's sake, the employer's sake, and the employee's sake as well. You got any final questions for me on this, Zander, I feel like I've covered a lot. If you have any questions for me regarding this, feel free to DM me on my Big Business Podcast account. I'm on that account, April's on that account, and producer
Xander is on that account. And if you have any follow up questions, I can always do a little bonus episode, like a part two of this, because I felt there's so much to this, There's so many layers. But yeah, at the end of the day, we are in the era of employee generated content. Do I think it's going to be a forever thing? Nah, Because I think there's going to be something else that comes out that we're all doing.
It really is.
A trend at the moment, and of course we're gonna have fun with it, and it's a great way for our community to engage with us as a business in workplace bar more than us just telling everyone to buy our clothes. But like I've mentioned throughout this episode, there's a lot of risks that come with it, and business owners have to be really smart and savvy when it
comes to putting their staff on socials. As always, I'm going to be ending today's episode with a tip of the week, and this tip of the week is kind of aligned with posting on social media, which I guess has been the theme of this entire episode. Posting to social media is like a lottery ticket. Every single time you post, it's like you're buying a lotto ticket. You
might not win, you might hit the jackpot. But I think all business owners or content creators should have this mindset that every single time they're putting something out there on the Internet, it's like they're entering the lotto, and who knows, one day you might win. And the only way that you're going to win the lotto is by keep on buying tickets and hope for the best, and
you need to see content as the same thing. Just keep posting and maybe one day you'll win the lotto, or if you're lucky, you might win it multiple times. I saw that somewhere on like TikTok, and I was like, yes, posting is like buying a lotto ticket every time.
So the next time you're.
Going to post a video and you're worried that it might not perform very well, it's all right. It's just one lotto ticket and you're going to buy plenty more. Aka you're going to post a lot more. Anyway, As always, I hope you've enjoyed listening to today's episode of Big Business. Please feel free to rate me five stars, tell a friend about the pod, tell a friend, tell a brand, And that's kind for now.
Xander's laughing at me.
That's it for now, and I'll be back later this week with my bonus episode. And I guess remember to chase after your dreams as if they owe you money.