Communication cannot be an exception in our increasingly digital world. It has also taken on a digital form. You spend a lot of time on digital communication in your daily work and life, don’t you? People now spend more time on instant messaging (IM) than they do on social media, blogs, or reading. Do you have an interest in modern communication?
Do you know how important instant messaging is these days? If so, you have come to the right place. Simply keep reading. For many organizations, instant messaging apps have become an important and convenient team communication platform. It is changing how individuals and groups interact at work. However, it has some drawbacks.
Instant messaging can become distracting, noisy, and unrelated to work. There’s nothing wrong with sharing a few cat GIFs, but your instant messaging software should have a more important function. This blog will investigate the drawbacks of instant messaging. We also advise how to overcome the difficulties associated with instant messaging apps in the workplace.
Cons of instant messaging
There are several compelling reasons to use instant messaging software in your organization: They allow employees to quickly reach out to one another in order to obtain the information they require in a less disruptive manner than making a phone call, sending an email, or wandering over to a colleague’s desk for a discussion. To this extent, whether the person is at the next desk or on the other side of the world, this can be a very efficient form of informal communication, encouraging collaboration and boosting team building. Also check: https://thenyhour.com/
It should be noted, however, that instant messaging systems have numerous limitations and should not be used as a primary communication channel within your organization for conveying important communications or even sharing sensitive information.
While each instant messaging software has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, the following are some of the disadvantages your company may face when using instant messaging for business communications: Most businesses that use chat encounter these five issues
1. Multiple tools
Unlike email, instant messaging is a proprietary tool that can become segmented within various groups and tools. For example, your sales team may be using a tool built into their CRM, while development may be using WhatsApp and senior management still rely solely on email.
2. Participation
You need a universal tool, but you also need everyone to use and participate in it actively. Consider this: you cannot begin a strategic conversation with sales if only 10% of your sales team is using the tool. Attempting to rely on instant messaging will fail because there are far too many employee groups that will not require/use instant messaging apps regularly.
3. Noise
When used by an entire organization, instant messaging tools are inherently noisy. Too many topics, too many ad hoc groups, and too many comments in the same stream on multiple topics. When this happens, most employees will turn off chat. Employees have a very low noise tolerance. They are eager to connect when they require information or can assist. Otherwise, people are busy and prefer to concentrate on their own work.
4. Relying on chat only
Instant messaging is ideal for one-on-one communication. It can be an effective team or project forum with the right messaging tool like Clariti. When properly deployed across the organization, it can largely replace internal email. However, it is not always the best way to share company-wide news, locate key documents, clarify who is doing what, or find expertise.
5. Complicated implementation when targeting multiple groups with multiple messages
Instant messaging allows employees to easily join conversations in which they are interested. However, at work, many different types of information must be disseminated to specific groups of people. If you are planning an event or need to make dental claim forms available in a specific country, you need to ensure that the information reaches every affected employee (and not just those who are not affected). And, on occasion, you may require confirmation that it was read.
6. Productivity issue
While instant messaging for business can save time spent on ineffective communication and lower long-distance phone bills, it is also potentially vulnerable to abuse. Some groups of employees may spend hours each day using instant messenger, gossiping, or otherwise wasting time while pretending that they are actually busy working.
Messenger notifications can still be as distracting as a phone call or an incoming email for someone who is trying to focus on important work or meet a deadline.
7. Security issue
Simply put, most instant messaging platforms are insecure, and you should not use them to send sensitive information outside of your organization.
External instant messaging apps operate primarily on public networks, which means they can be easily intercepted or hacked by third parties. Some instant messaging software uses more secure protocols than others.
How to overcome the negative impact of instant messaging
- There is a time and place for instant messaging in business, so there is no need to prohibit it outright. As previously stated, it can be very useful when used in conjunction with other appropriate team communication tools and channels.
- To begin, you must define the parameters and protocols for using instant messaging software in your organization. This includes guidelines on what it can and cannot be used for, as well as appropriate usage, such as language.
- It is a good idea to make sure your employees understand the importance of cybersecurity in general, as well as their role in keeping your company safe. This should include guidelines for the safe use of instant messaging apps.
- Depending on the platform, you can configure the system to prevent employees from sharing files or communicating with people outside the organization.
- You may also be able to configure the system to monitor usage and detect if employees are spending too much time using the software or sharing information that they should not be.
- Examine alternative methods of sending urgent or mass communications that mimic certain aspects of instant messaging software without being the same system.
- Clariti, for example, is a team communications software platform that transforms the user’s experience from direct messaging to content-rich messaging. This is also a completely secure method of sharing attachments with your employees. Clariti combines emails, calls, documents, social feeds, and even to-do lists, eliminating the need to open other apps. You can achieve great results in improving team communications by combining these systems.
Conclusion
Instant messaging, like your phone and e-mail, is an important communication tool. But is it sufficient, and does it cause more problems than it solves?
You can easily avoid these issues by selecting a web-based messaging platform like Clariti with instant messaging as one component and properly integrating it into your overall team communications strategy.
With Clariti’s content-rich subject chats, you get all the context you need to understand the topic without searching. You can also send and receive emails, use social media, chat with your team, manage cloud files, and organize calendars with Clariti.
Improving information flow within an organization does not have to be a difficult task. When you invest in innovative tools and communication channels to share information with your employees, you will reap the benefits in terms of increased employee morale, increased productivity, increased efficiencies, and increased profits.
