Instant messaging allows us to obtain information much more quickly, and it is generally a more engaging mode of business communication that suits the needs of those working in dynamic environments. Instant messaging apps for business can be a powerful tool that boosts productivity, fosters collaboration, and improves employee morale and engagement.
All businesses rely on the efficient and secure communication that instant messaging provides. Besides, instant messaging improves planning and management while increasing employee engagement. Having effective communication ensures that all departments, teams, and employees are on the same page, which leads to increased employee productivity and organizational efficiency.
Let’s look at the advantages of instant messaging in the workplace.
Benefits of instant messaging in the workplace
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1. It connects employees regardless of where they are
Companies can now attract and hire talent regardless of their location thanks to the digital era. Companies can now hire the perfect talent that matches their needs and preferences all over the world, rather than limiting themselves to a single geographical area.
When employees are physically separated, having a solution that allows them to communicate easily is critical. Instant messaging aims to bridge the gap created by physical distance by allowing employees to stay connected, engaged, and productive even when they are thousands of miles apart.
2. It encourages the spirit of collaboration
When you are at work, it is easy to figure out what your coworkers are thinking. They demonstrate this through their tone of voice, gesticulation, and the words they use. Business communication, on the other hand, becomes difficult in a remote setting.
Instant messaging tools like Clariti enable remote teams to congregate virtually in one location to exchange work-related ideas and thoughts that drive success and innovation. It enables teams to interact in both group and private chats, allowing them to stay up to date on important issues such as deadlines and task assignments. This increases team transparency and allows people to get to know one another better.
3. It facilitates other modes of communication
Instant messaging apps are not just useful for employees who work from home. It can be used as an additional means of communication in the workplace. Assume you are in a meeting and a coworker needs to tell you something quickly. They can simply send you a message through your private chat, which you can read at your leisure. You can also use these apps as a personal notebook. Most chats allow you to send messages to yourself, which is useful when you need to quickly write something down and ensure you remember it.
4. It increases employee engagement
It is a well-known fact that open dialogue fosters a more engaged, dedicated, and motivated team by encouraging more informal and friendly communication. Team members can engage in informal communication to get to know each other better when they have multiple ways to communicate. Employees are more likely to collaborate with each other more effectively when they understand their colleague’s motivation, which can have a positive impact on their productivity and engagement.
5. It is superior to email
Email is considered as the king of corporate communication, and it is unlikely to become obsolete anytime soon. Email is dependable, and we have faith that our messages will be delivered and formatted appropriately. However, sifting through emails to find the information you require can be time-consuming. Instant messaging, on the other hand, allows us to get the information we need much faster. Furthermore, instant messaging apps are easier to navigate. Most of them include a search function that allows users to quickly find the information they require.
Drawbacks of instant messaging in the workplace
Instant messaging tools, while providing numerous benefits, have both advantages and disadvantages. We will give you a quick rundown of their main drawbacks here.
1. It can be a source of distraction
Real-time communication can be taxing at times, especially if you do not establish clear guidelines for how you prefer to communicate via chat. When a team member sends a message, they usually expect an immediate response, especially if they can see you are online in the chat. Responding to every message immediately can distract you from your regular work duties, lowering your productivity.
2. It is not appropriate for all types of communication
When you need quick information and do not want to wait for a long response, exchanging texts comes in handy. But chatting is not ideal if you need to discuss something with a large group of people, because messages can be misplaced, and some members may not see all the relevant information.
3. Possibilities of miscommunication are higher
One potential disadvantage of texting is the lack of nonverbal communication. According to industry statistics, nonverbal communication accounts for up to 93 percent of all communication. We miss out on an important aspect of communication when we exchange messages online, which may lead to a unexpected interpretation.
We can hear tones of voice, see gestures, and get a better sense of what people are trying to tell us when we communicate in person. Instant messaging inevitably creates a barrier between us and necessitates strong communication skills to get our message across without fear of miscommunication.
Tips for proper instant messaging etiquette
When we go over the major advantages and disadvantages of instant messaging tools, we should look at proven rules to follow when communicating.
1. Begin with a brief greeting
A simple “hi” or “hello” followed by a question about whether they are available for chat or when the best time to contact them is a good way to start a conversation over instant chat. The online available signal does not always indicate that they are ready and available for conversation, and you should always double-check with them.
2. Keep it brief
Instant messaging, while convenient and quick, is not appropriate for every type of message. For example, if you need to write a lengthy message that will take some time to respond to, write an email instead.
3. Use caution when using abbreviations
We became accustomed to using a plethora of abbreviations when texting. However, in contrast to chatting on Facebook or WhatsApp, where we usually communicate with peers, using abbreviations in business communication can confuse some people and may not be appropriate. In general, only widely known abbreviations are acceptable; otherwise, write a full sentence.
4. Observe working hours
Contacting your employees and coworker’s after-hours, unless urgent, is not acceptable. Whatever the problem is, it can most certainly wait until tomorrow. You should step in immediately only if there are any urgent issues, such as a hacker attack, your website being down, or your sales being blocked for some reason, resulting in massive losses. So, unless the house is on fire, there’s no need to bother people while they are relaxing. This also applies to their vacation days!
5. Do not yell
We all get frustrated at work from time to time. Someone fails to do their job properly, someone else is late, causing us to be late, and so on. When this happens you may vent through angry texts, which are usually written in the upper case. Recipients become agitated when they see messages written in large letters! They interpret it as if someone is yelling at them, which is never professional.
6. Keep your sense of humor in check
Humor is not universal, and it should be used with caution, especially in a diverse workplace. Keep your sense of humor in check while chatting at work to avoid miscommunication and offending someone.
Wrapping it up
Finally, we can see why business instant messaging is important. It enables remote teams to work as if they were in the office, allowing them to engage, collaborate, and be more productive. It is not, however, perfect, and it comes with its own set of risks and liabilities that we should be aware of.
Clariti is an instant messaging app that helps you to communicate with your team members in an effective way. It is a free tool, so you do not need to worry about its expense. Any type of organization can use Clariti to improve their business communications.
Instant messaging using Clariti can be content rich which is one of its unique features. Besides, Clariti supports all modes of communication including chat, email, calls, and online documents. Such content rich communications reduce miscommunication and the need to search for information across multiple communication apps. Is this interesting? Just sign-up quickly to gain the benefits of Clariti for free.
