The Do's and Don'ts of Instant Messaging at Work by Evan Grant

Instant messaging (IM) is practically the text equivalent to a phone call. Nowadays, businesses use IM to collaborate on projects because of the ease of use and the immediate response it brings. However, there are some guidelines that would be wise to follow when using IM at work, so I am going to provide a list of do’s and don’ts when using IM in the workplace.

Do’s

1. Separate your business contacts from your personal contacts on your buddy list.

- This will eliminate the possibility of a business contact accidently becoming involved in a personal conversation or vice versa.

2. Know that IM’s can be saved.

- Don’t type anything in an IM that you wouldn’t want repeated or read by another party. You may feel secure in making bold statements or making fun of your boss but the recipient can just as easily copy and paste something you wrote. Some IM services automatically archive every conversation you have ever held through each screen name, making what you type very insecure.

3. Be wary of viruses and other potential security risks.

- When collaborating on a paper, file transfers are a very helpful utility but you need to make sure you aren’t being sent a virus. IM file attachments can penetrate firewalls much easier than e-mail file attachments. Be sure to double check the quality of your firewall before accepting file attachments.

4. Know how to keep your messages short and to the point, and know when to say “ttyl.”

- With IM you can easily avoid pleasantries and get right to the point. Just ask your question, get your answer, and go back to work. For example:

managerdude: hey did you finish your TPS report?
whitecollardude: ill have it on your desk by noon.
managerdude: k

Don'ts

1. Don’t communicate confidential or sensitive messages over IM.

- If your business gives advice concerning stocks, medicine, law, or financial information, it would be best to not do so over IM. Better to stick with quick questions and conversations.

2. Don’t share personal information with others over IM.

- NEVER GIVE OUT CREDIT CARD INFORMATION OR PASSWORDS OVER IM. Even if you have complete trust in the person you are talking to avoid it completely. When you send IMs the text is relayed to a server before it gets to the recipient. If an employee from the IM provider or a hacker sees your personal information, it won’t be personal for much longer.

3. Don’t use a confusing user name or status.

- User names should be consistent throughout your company. (ex. Use the first initial, middle initial, and last name, like “emgrant.” Managerdude and whitecollardude should not be used.). Users should also be courteous by updating their status to let others know if they are available or not.

4. Don’t damage the reputation of you or your company.

- Again, be careful about what you say in an IM, but most importantly be sure not to put your company’s reputation in jeopardy. It could cost you your job…



Works Cited:

"10 tips for using instant messaging for business." Microsoft Corporation. 30 Mar. 2009. http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/technology/communications/10-tips-for-using-instant-messaging-for-business.aspx#tipsforusinginstantmessagingforbusiness.


"AOL's Third Annual Instant Messenger Trends Survey." Instant Messenger - AIM - Instant Message Your Online Buddies for Free - AIM. 30 Mar. 2009. http://www.aim.com/survey/.