Your Techs Are Posting — Are You Paying Attention?
Wearing a company hat? Mind your p’s and q’s
I recently came across a Facebook post that got a technician fired — and it made me wonder: Do HVACR contractors have clear social media policies in place? Are they formal and written, or just unspoken rules? Is there a list of things employees can and cannot talk about online?
When I started at ACHR NEWS, I don’t remember signing any social media policy documents, yet I know what’s expected of me. It’s more of an unspoken understanding — I know what our company stands for and what might reflect poorly on it. I also wouldn’t want to post anything that could hurt our reputation.
Stephanie Allen, CEO at AirWorks Solutions in Somis, California, said her company takes a similar approach.
“At AirWorks, we lean more on culture than rigid rules,” she said. “We remind our team that everything we do, including what we share online, should be mom-approved. That’s the standard our company lives by: service over sales, care over shortcuts.”
While they do have guidelines in place, Allen relies more on coaching and open conversations than on a “one-size-fits-all policy.”
“Framing social media this way ties the mom-approved filter directly to business reputation, not just values,” Allen said.
Tom Swanson, general manager at Mathews CCAC in Corpus Christi, Texas, said his company also focuses on setting expectations early.
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“By getting ahead of expectations on what you post and what not to post, we find that it encourages our employees to show their experience and abilities while also providing guidelines on what we do not want to see,” said Swanson. “We make a very large point to hammer down on the fact that they represent the company both inside and outside of work, and we expect their actions to reflect that.”
The goal isn’t to discourage posting — it’s to guide it.
“Social media is absolutely an opportunity,” Swanson said. “We believe that our employees are the best in the business, and we encourage them to show off their skills to their friends and family.”
No Problem Heating & Cooling in Saint Peters, Missouri, takes a similar proactive approach. While they haven’t had an employee cause a social media scandal, operations manager Ryan Otto said they’ve seen it happen elsewhere — that’s why they work to get ahead of it.
“We make technicians aware, when they start, that the company name and icon is a brand, and that brand stands for quality and integrity,” said Otto. “If they post images or videos wearing our branded items, they have to be within company standards — and they should want to be.”
That made me think about my own posting habits. I don’t post much, but I do leave the occasional comment. For example, Vanity Fair recently posted a slow-motion Instagram reel of Pedro Pascal chewing a toothpick and winking at the camera. I hated it. So, I commented, “I hate everything about this.”
That probably wouldn’t get me fired — at least, I hope not — unless one of my bosses (like, say, Kyle Gargaro) is a secret Pedro Pascal superfan. (Fortunately, he likely doesn’t even know who that is.)
But if I had posted a video rant about it while wearing an ACHR NEWS sweatshirt or using our official account, that would be a different story. My opinion would suddenly be tied to our name and brand. And that’s where a lot of contractors draw the line.
“Everyone deserves a personal life, and we respect that,” Allen said. “But when a post involves the uniform, the company truck, or anything tied to our customers, it reflects back on AirWorks. That’s where the mom-approved filter comes in: if you wouldn’t be comfortable with your mom, or one of our moms, seeing it, it probably doesn’t belong online with the company’s name attached.”
Or, as the old saying goes: “Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want on the front page of a newspaper tomorrow.” In today’s world, maybe it’s more like: “Don’t post anything that makes your company look bad — because it might end up on your boss’s timeline in the morning.”
Otto added that social media can be both a risk and a reward for HVAC businesses.
“Social media is a double-edged sword; it shows customers that we are a business, but also a family that doesn't take everything so seriously,” Otto said. “Potential recruits will look at social media and Google and decide if it aligns with their values. On the other hand, it does give your brand vulnerability. One misstep post can change everyone's view of your company, and whether they want you in their house. It is all about how you yield it.
In the end, employees are always a risk — myself included. But when a company builds a strong culture and trust, employees often rise to meet it.
“Social media is absolutely an opportunity,” Allen said. “When employees share their pride in their work online, it’s some of the most authentic marketing out there. Social media helps us connect with new talent and future customers, and when guided by the right culture, it becomes a strength, not a liability. In fact, it’s one of our best recruiting tools.”
Because in the end, no contractor wants to be the one firing a tech over a Facebook post — and no tech wants to be the one posting their way out of a job.
