What an employer expects, what you can expect back, and how a small animal business tells people it exists.
Workplace policies
Every workplace has these. They're not there to catch you out — they're there so everyone knows what's expected without having to guess.
Two sides of the same thing
Your employer must pay at least the national minimum wage and pay on time, provide a clean and safe place to work,
train you properly before you start a task, and take reasonable care of you.
You must take reasonable care of your own health and safety and not put others at risk, use equipment properly,
follow the training you've been given, and speak up when something isn't right.
Getting the word out
No single method does everything. Most small businesses use several, and each one points people towards the others.
Staying safe online
Two things are at risk online: your money and personal information, and you.
Your money and information
MalwareSoftware that damages or spies on your device. It arrives in infected downloads, dodgy attachments, and on USB sticks.
Social engineeringSomeone tries to frighten or trick you into handing over details or clicking a link — an email about a fine that must be paid immediately, a text saying your account is locked, a phone call claiming to be your bank.
Don't open suspicious emails or attachmentsIf it feels urgent and unexpected, that's the tell. Urgency is the trick.
Never log in from a linkGo to the website yourself, in your own browser.
Never give login details by phone or emailNo real bank or organisation will ask.
Use strong, different passwordsAnd keep antivirus software on your phone and computer.
Be careful on public wifiOther people on the same network can sometimes see what you're doing.
You
CyberbullyingThreats or offensive comments. Save the evidence, don't reply, and tell someone.
TrollingSomeone trying to get a reaction. Not replying is usually the strongest thing you can do.
ImpersonationPeople online are not always who they say they are, and they can be very convincing over a long time.
Check your privacy settingsOn every app, and check them again when apps update.
Think before you post a photoOnce it's out, you can't take it back. Ask people before posting photos of them, and before tagging them.
Never meet someone in person that you only know onlineIf anyone asks you to, tell a parent or carer, your manager, a teacher, or another adult you trust. Straight away, and even if you feel silly about it. Someone who asks you to keep them a secret is the reason this rule exists.
At work it's a bit different again
Anything you post can be read as if the business is saying it. Keep personal and work accounts separate,
never share confidential information about clients or animals, don't post negative comments about competitors,
and don't check personal accounts on work time.
Genuine complaints on social media go through the complaints procedure. Trivial or malicious ones are usually best left —
and either way, replying is the manager's job, not yours.
Defamation
You're responsible for what you say in public, including in messages. If you say something untrue that damages
someone's reputation, you can be sued — slander if it's spoken, libel if it's written or published.
It's up to you to prove what you said was true.