When we say business etiquette, we usually mean about the way we should dress for work or behave during business meetings. However, we rarely think about chatting rules we should follow in our daily communication with coworkers and clients.
Knowing etiquette for chatting at work is vital, since it is one of the most important ways for nurturing an open and honest communication in the workplace
Many people perceive instant messaging as a spoken communication in written form. This is why chats are usually more informal than emails or other forms of business communication. However, since people are more relaxed while chatting, they can frequently end up sending disjointed and broken messages that can be distracting for the person they’re talking with.
Instead of sending separate messages, try to think about what you want to say and craft a whole message before you hit the “send button”. That way, the person on the other end won’t feel anxious about the things you want to tell them and won’t be distracted by the sound of notifications from their instant messaging app.
Today, many workplaces operate on flexible schedules and remotely, with team members scattered around the globe. This is how some employees may work later in the evening, while others might be more active during the day. Furthermore, working at the same workplace doesn’t equal having the same engagements during the day. This is how some coworkers might be in a meeting, taking a break, or be focused on a task they have planned to do for that day.
This is why it is so important to be wary about the “offline” and “online” status before sending a message to your coworker