It’s no secret that Facebook is huge in Myanmar. If you look up from your laptop at any given time, there’s probably at least one person in your workplace who’s scrolling through their Facebook newsfeed. In May of 2016, there were approximately 10 million Myanmar users on Facebook. One of the main reasons why Facebook is so popular is because it’s one of the easiest and best ways for you to stay in touch with your friends. However, what if you consider your boss your friend? Is it okay to become Facebook friends with them? Before you press that ‘add’ button, ask yourself these questions to make sure that you’re not potentially jeopardizing your relationship or your job.

Do you like to post a lot of complaints/rants?

Whether you know one or are one yourself, there are people who love using Facebook as their personal diary where they can write a lengthy post about how they’re feeling. However, if you’re not happy at your job and have a habit of expressing this in your Facebook statuses, then you definitely don’t want your boss seeing that. Even if they technically can’t fire you over a Facebook post, knowing that you’re unhappy in your current workplace might affect their perception of you and your work.

Are you only doing it because you want to “spy” on your boss?

Look, it’s human nature to be nosey, especially about your coworkers. However, if you’re going to add your boss on Facebook and gossip at work the next day about where they went over the weekend or who they might be dating or any other aspects of their personal life, then you shouldn’t add them at all. Facebook is private (to an extent…), and if you wouldn’t like your boss bringing up your personal life at work, then you should treat them with the same level of respect.

Would you feel restricted as to what you could post or share?

Facebook is one of the main ways by which we share news about our lives, whether it’s a big life-changing event like a wedding or a fun weekend in Ngwe Saung. If becoming Facebook friends with your boss would cause you to start self-censoring — maybe you called in a “sick” day because you were out late at a festival the previous night, and now you feel like you can’t upload your festival photos — then you probably shouldn’t add them. It’s not worth having to constantly self-censor your own private account over just one person.

Do you want to keep your personal and professional lives separate?

No matter how close you are with your colleagues, sometimes it’s best to keep your work and private lives separate. Of course, it’s fine to add your boss if/when you leave your current job and genuinely want to stay in touch, but it might just be easier for everyone involved if for now, you weren’t Facebook pals.

And if you do add your boss but they decline your invitation, remember…

…that it doesn’t automatically mean they hate you or don’t consider you a friend. It’s not that they don’t like you, but they probably just prefer to use Facebook for personal friends and family.