Our Social Business Guidelines

Hi, team.

Overlapping, transparent online networks mean that your friends,

clients, and coworkers are mixing up, at least a little bit;

Given that...

You own your personal identity while I own mine;

The Ajax voice is a common thread that unites all of us;

When it comes to the Ajax voice, what one of us does reflects on all of us;

Ajax will not be a lifetime job for all of us, but we share our

Ajax experiences until the end of our careers;

A strong, reputable alumni network helps us as a company

and as individuals for as long as we continue to be part of it;

Success speaks with action;

People in the know don’t seek opportunities to prove it;

Ajax advocates for more genuine and natural business communications;

As people, we are no better than anyone else,

just more focused in the area of Workforce Marketing;

and

Knowledge alone has far less value than knowledge coupled with execution;

I am asking that the entire Ajax Army of Awesome adhere to a set of guidelines

when engaged in social business.

This will help us:

o Act judiciously.

o Create predictability for one another and engender trust amongst team members.

o Advocate Workforce Marketing

o Demonstrate the power of being profersonal™ to clients and others.

o Ensure consistent delivery of our own messages to the world.

o Help us maintain awareness of our own voices, both as individuals and as members of the team.

o Onboard new Army of Awesome members.

o Exercise discipline with our brand.

o Raise the caliber of opportunity we attract into our orbits.

The Ajax Archetype

Our guidelines begin not with a set of rules, but with an archetype. Ajax, personified.

If you’re part of the Army of Awesome, you should be familiar with our Brand Profile.

When in doubt, use this archetype to make the best decision possible:

If Ajax were a person, he would be your confident, competent older brother or sister—

the one who tells you what you need to hear even when you don’t want to hear it. He

knows the ropes and, more importantly, knows how to share what he knows to make

you comfortable with what you’re facing. He so obviously wants you at your best that

even when pushing you out of your comfort zone, you feel assured that he is using

his expertise and sense of humor to build you up.

The Ajax Guidelines

The question is not whether you are representing Ajax or not, because in

today’s world, you’re always representing the company… just like you’re

always representing your family or your alma mater. The question is,

does this situation require a professional protocol or a personal one?

And how should you adjust? The following should help:

When a professional protocol applies

Be all things to all people? Probably a

bad idea. If you find yourself caught

between multiple audiences, prioritize

people who “own” the brand (or

employer brand) for their company.

In terms of industries, media, financial

services, staffing/recruiting, and

software/tech get first dibs.

When a personal protocol applies

Again, trying to be all things to all

people? Bad idea. One of the things

that makes Ajax great is the diversity

of personality within our walls. Be

true to yourself and “Let your freak

flag fly,” as Joe Gerstandt would say.

(Worth looking him up, btw.)

Audience

When a professional protocol applies

You’re a part of a bigger whole. Follow

the Ajax voice so we can leverage

one another. When in doubt, be

straightforward.

When a personal protocol applies

The person you are was good enough

to get you hired, so keep it going! Be

you. Follow nobody.

Personality

When a professional protocol applies

We’ll make ‘em, we’ll own ‘em. Just

remember that it’s me on the line

at the end of the day. If you make a

mistake trying to do what’s right for

Ajax, I’ve got your back. If you put

yourself above the company and get

caught, I won’t have your sleepless

night.

When a personal protocol applies

Your mistakes are just about the only

thing you will ever create that others

won’t try to take credit for. Make them,

learn from them, apologize for them,

and move forward.

Mistakes

When a professional protocol applies

We’ve got a plan and we stick to it. Having

a designated individual coordinating

and facilitating posts ensures that we

can be nimble, responsive and inclusive

without getting sidetracked from our

message. So if you’ve got something to

say, let’s get your message queued up!

One thing, though: bring your best.

This is big dog country.

When a personal protocol applies

Use Buffer. Don’t send edgy content

like “This city is boring” on the heels

of an airport check in. And really watch

yourself during work hours. One former

employee rescheduled a client call and

then tweeted from a hair salon during

the original call time. The client was

pissed. So was I. She’s not here anymore.

Timing

When a professional protocol applies

Ajax speaks about Workforce Marketing.

This includes subtopics of branding/

messaging, change management,

alignment, internal communications,

marketing, sales, recruiting, HR, org

design, and framing.

When a personal protocol applies

You make movies? Play drums? Entertain?

Volunteer at your local pet shelter? Bring

the awesome, let’s hear about it! You love

your work at Ajax? Then get profersonal™

and share that, too! If it’s a part of who

you are, then share it! If work is a minor

subplot in your life, then don’t! Whoever

you are, be the whole you!

Content

When a professional protocol applies

Never. Better safe than sorry!

When a personal protocol applies

The commercial about the woman

who’s friends ostracize her for posting

photos from their Vegas trip? Dead on.

Make people look good. There should

be events in your life you wish you

could post about… but don’t.

Tagging others

When a professional protocol applies

Politics. Religion. Sex. Negativity.

Profile photos with alcohol (album

photos OK, just don’t tag them).

Jokes at others’ expense. Narcissism.

When a personal protocol applies

Keep in mind that it’s very difficult to

“unhear” certain messages. If you share

anything that impairs your ability to

be taken seriously by clients, that’s

something the company has to consider.

Verboten

When a professional protocol applies

Demonstrate expertise. Introduce

people to Workforce Marketing. Make

others feel good about themselves.

When a personal protocol applies

To paraphrase Chuck D: stand for

something, lest you fall for anything. I’ll

stand behind you. I’ll help you amplify

your brand. Not because I like you, which I

probably do if you work here. But because a

better you is better for Ajax, better for your

coworkers, and mostly better for yourself.

And I’ll always stand for people working to

make themselves and others better.

Goals

When a professional protocol applies

Fight no one. There’s no upside in

arguing. Remember: “Never wrestle a

pig. You both get muddy and the pig

enjoys it.”

When a personal protocol applies

Fight no one. There’s no upside in

arguing. Remember: “Never wrestle a

pig. You both get muddy and the pig

enjoys it.”

Addressing problems

The bottom line: I want you to set yourself up for success. When you

look good, we all look good.

Consequences

Everything we do online has consequences—either positive

or negative. (Don’t kid yourself about being “neutral”… people

rarely assume “neutral” intent in others.) These guidelines

are designed to help you engage online in a way that triggers

positive consequences for both you and for Ajax.

This is not a policy document. I’ve always appreciated flexible environments in

which I had space to exercise judgment, so that’s what I’ve set up at Ajax. That said,

flexibility does not mean impunity. If you take an action online that impacts your

ability to do your job, or negatively impacts Ajax’s reputation, or raises our cost of

doing business, then the consequences may be job-ending. Consequences will be

addressed on a case-by-case basis though, so the facts and circumstances of the

event can be fully understood before action is taken. I trust the people I hire.

Why is this document written in the first person?

Because business is profersonal.™ This isn’t just a job for me, it’s a

reflection of who I am. We’re changing the world, and we’re doing it

together. That’s pretty damn personal, if you ask me.

Thank you.

I appreciate all that you do. It’s been a helluva ride…

and I can’t wait to see where we go next!

Forward together,Jason