Is text message ever appropriate for business?

Using text messaging as a way to conduct business seems inappropriate. Yet personal relationships combined with the breaking down of barriers between professional and personal communication are increasing its use in the workplace.

Employees are messaging internally and externally more than ever. Employers need to make these channels part of their communication strategy to take advantage of the benefits and manage the risks.

Nearly half of business leaders we questioned for the Return to the Office report said social messaging platforms, specifically WhatsApp, had played a positive role in maintaining communications between employers, employees and teams.

All respondents said its informality encouraged employees to make and maintain regular contact with each other, and that the platform was an effective channel for employers to check in.

The organisations who used social messaging during lockdown made up the 58% of respondents who said their corporate communications had been effective. These organisations were also included in the 76% who were ‘not concerned’ about their employees’ return to the office.

The embracing of social messaging in the workplace has many advantages; it demonstrates an organisation’s resilience and ability to adapt, it supports employee engagement and therefore wellbeing, and ultimately retention.

Used appropriately, instant and social messaging can create efficiencies. It can increase productivity, remove over-reliance on email and an overflowing inbox, and support collaboration by creating groups outside natural departmental silos.  Many employees are comfortable using it and working from home has further blurred the lines between professional and personal, formality and informality. It is becoming more of a ‘go-to’ for quick communication.   

However, like social media, social messaging platforms operate outside of normal social laws and rules. This instant and informal communication gives the impression of chatting to close friends. It increases the opportunity to overstep boundaries, spread inaccuracies quickly and mis-communicate work practices or responsibilities. They also sit outside of the framework of the workplace; they are unmonitored and unregulated and have the potential to become the unofficial grapevine of an organisation. 

This is unlike the internal social networks such as Yammer and Slack that replicate the informality of social messaging amongst employees but can be monitored. Organisations will use them to promote transparency but also listen to understand employee sentiment and help identify any risks in the business. Any miscommunication of messages can be quickly remedied.

As the trend for informal, instant communication develops it is also only a matter of time before employees are communicating with clients via WhatsApp – if they do not already. It is the responsibility of the employer to manage how this aligns with communication protocols, corporate voice and rules of client engagement as part of the communication strategy.

The way we communicate in business continues to evolve and organisations need to decide on the best strategy to adapt to this changing environment. A myriad of individual WhatsApp groups within an organisation has the potential to place unregulated social messaging at the heart of its internal communication strategy if left unchecked. Alternatively, it can create an environment of collaboration, creativity and efficiency and support employees in building strong, external relationships if used appropriately and in a way that aligns with your principles as a business.