Recent research indicates that instant messaging is slowly growing in use within companies, with 21% of those surveyed indicating that they use IM at work. Respondents were torn between whether the tool is a solid tool for the workplace -- or a personal distraction, as 62% say they use IM to communicate with friends and family while at woek, as well.
True, IM can be a distraction. It's important not to immediately and reactively respond to every IM that comes your way. Like email, IM messages can sit for a spell and remain quite healthy. In fact, Johanna Rothman's recent comments on better managing electronic communications might make a good parallel read.
Do you use IM in your work? How? What have you learned about how to use IM well at work?
[via Techdirt]
Related Stories: | Topics:Management, teamwork, Science and Technology, Technology, Internet, Instant Messaging, Johanna Rothman |
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Recent Comments | 3 Total
September 3, 2004 at 2:12am by scott hodge
We began using AIM about 2 years ago and most of us are now switching over to MSN. We keep both turned on because a lot of our constituents (we are a non-profit) use AIM. We use MSN to communicate via webcam when we are out of the office or out of town. Plus, when someone IM's you in MSN, it doesn't pop a box up on your screen and interrupt your current task. (AIM needs to fix this!)
IM has also helped us get a quick answer when needed, yet not have to interrupt each other via walking into each other's offices, phone call, etc...
We rely heavily on IM and use it as a legitimte business tool. I would be interested in hearing any negative experiences people have had using IM for business.
I constantly remind our team that neither IM's or emails can or will ever replace the effects of eyeball time between two people
September 3, 2004 at 3:08am by Frank
Personally, I find IM extremely useful for communicating with people speaking a foreign language. Speaking on the phone (e.g. telecon) makes people misunderstand eachother due accent differences.
IM is more interactive than E-mail but less intrusive than the phone, IM allowed more data sharing (files, desktop sharing) than phone or video conferencing, IM is cheaper than travelling, IM is easily used for individuals or team conversations.
To me, IM is the most useful communication tool at work next to the phone, e-mail and the coffee machine.
September 7, 2004 at 2:57pm by kevin
Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that 21% of IM users use IM at work? The way you phrased it seems to indicate that 21% of people in general use IM at work. But I don't think that's what the Pew Research indicates, though I'd be curious to know.
Personally, I found IM to be very convenient when I worked in an office. Why get up to ask someone a question, or call and interupt them, when I could send them an IM and let them answer at their leisure?