Staff posting from work can be the best marketing a venue never paid for, or a disaster. A behind-the-scenes clip of the pass can go viral, but so can a video mocking a guest or showing poor hygiene. A clear social media policy helps everyone: say what's encouraged, what's off limits, and why. Filming guests without their consent raises privacy and data protection issues, and filming in the kitchen can expose recipes or bad practice.
Staff are generally free to post about their own lives, and employers should be careful about disciplining people for private posts unless they genuinely damage the business or breach confidentiality. Whistleblowing law can protect staff who raise genuine concerns in the public interest, though going public first isn't always protected. Many venues now give willing staff a role in content creation, with credit or extra pay, which turns a risk into a shared project.
What we ask on the show
- Should staff be paid for making the venue's TikToks?
- When is a staff post a sacking offence?
- Is filming guests ever acceptable?
- Has social media made kitchens more transparent?