How much privacy/confidentiality should someone expect as an employee?

The short answer to this is (sadly) that you should assume there won’t be any confidentiality. Anything you say to anyone at work is likely to be repeated.

 

Atif Agha pointed out that on the record most organizations will only say, “yes, they worked here” if they are asked for employment information. But individuals within an organization are not nearly as decerning.

 

Christina Kelley added that anything you share publicly on social media is fair game for your co-workers to talk about openly. Outside of that people “should” be respectful of your privacy.

 

Brett Knopf wondered if it might be something worth talking about in an interview before you accept a job. (I wonder what that conversation would look like and if the information you got would even be correct)

 

Are we training leaders how to deal with things they are told in confidence? As a manager, if an employee tells me something that is HIPPA protected, do I have to keep that to myself or, because they told me as a member of management, is it now “public” knowledge within the company? (For example, is it okay for me to share with HR or other leaders?)

 

How much privacy or confidentiality do you expect if you share something with your boss?

Connect with the panelists:
Atif Agha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atifagha/

Technology specialist doing data analytics and avid runner, based in Chicago

 

Christina Kelley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-kelley-3a098514/

Works for Today Media helping customers reach their target audience through digital, print and events

 

Brett Knopf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-knopf-5849b48/

He is a Performance Coach and Business Strategist with over two decades of experience. He empowers leaders and teams to create environments that focus on collaboration, transparency, self-accountability and personal development.

 

Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

AKA Mental MacGyver. My doctorate is in organizational business psychology with a concentration in sport and performance. I provide luxury level, high performance support and coaching to executives, founders, celebrities and athletes.

 

Want a summary of the Quick Hits plus the links to the LinkedIn pages of each of the panelist to show up in your in-box every week? Let me know where to send it: https://drrobynodegaard.com/quick-hits-notifications/

 

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on pertinent subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.MentalMacGyver.com