How to Use Instant Messaging at Work

It’s Monday morning. You’ve opened your laptop, a cup of coffee by your side, and you’re gearing up to take on the day’s challenges.

And no surprises here, but your inbox looks like a popcorn machine overflowing with unread messages. You start scanning for anything important that came in over the weekend, knowing you have about 20 minutes before your first meeting for the day.

Amid all the email threads and attachments, a notification catches your eye, revealing a crisp message: ‘Client meeting postponed to tomorrow. Check your email for the new invite.’

You take a deep breath and stop rushing.??

This is the power of instant message—cutting through the noise and delivering the important updates that really matter, when they matter. While the inbox piles up with emails of varying importance, instant messaging keeps you on top of things without fuss.

That said, navigating the security challenges and embracing best practices will help you make the most of instant messaging at work. Luckily, we’ve got you covered to understand the big payoffs here.

How to Use Instant Messaging at Work

Understanding the Relevance of Instant Messaging at Work

Recent data shows that we spend more than 250 minutes on our phones every day. That’s roughly 70 days worth of average screen time per year.

Whether we’re checking our phones to find out what our friends are up to, checking Instagram, or tracking that Amazon order to see if it got dispatched, our phones are always right there, close at hand. And most of us have Microsoft Teams or Slack installed on our phones, ensuring access to important work messages.

In the workplace, instant access to messages can be a lifesaver. Emails often linger in the inbox for days, but text messages? We read them almost immediately. This immediacy makes instant messaging an indispensable tool for getting things done.

But it’s not just about getting things done. Instant messaging works by:

Enhancing productivity: An instant message means an immediate response that leads to quick decision-making and problem-solving. What’s more, it also allows spontaneous brainstorming sessions and quick sharing of ideas, enhancing productivity
Encouraging collaboration: With instant messaging, team members can easily communicate no matter where they are. Not only messages, but you can also share files, documents, and links, speeding up workflows compared to lengthy emails
Fostering a sense of community and team spirit: Instant messaging encourages a collaborative environment where team members can easily share ideas, ask questions, and provide support. It can help create a more positive and supportive company culture by encouraging a sense of community and belonging

The role of instant messaging in remote work culture

Instant messaging encourages collective brainstorming, just like your in-house meeting sessions, but with an archive of message history for reference. It makes sure everyone’s on the same page
It is also easily accessible from various devices, ensuring uninterrupted interactions at work, during your commute, or when running errands
It offers excellent visibility into activities and project statuses to keep everyone informed and involved, even when team members are spread across different time zones

Instant messaging is essential in remote work culture as it helps with effective team communication, strengthens team bonds, boosts collaboration, and is conducive to flexible work schedules. When it comes to project management, instant messaging helps facilitate workflows, encourages accountability, speeds up problem-solving, and improves overall transparency.

Also Read: ClickUp vs. Slack: Which Team Communication Tool is Best?

Best Practices for the Efficient Use of Instant Messaging at Work

Clearly, instant messaging helps with productivity and collaboration, and its role in remote work culture is near-irreplaceable. Let’s take a step further and understand how it can generate greater outcomes when used with proper intention and care.

Here are a few ground rules and accepted etiquette to follow while working with instant messaging in the workplace:

1. Be professional

At first impression, instant messaging work might appear like an informal tool, given its design and mechanism. But it’s still a business messaging app at heart. So avoid casual language and keep things professional. Use emojis sparingly, especially when you’re communicating with management or people you don’t know well.

2. Come to the point

The whole point of using instant messaging is to deliver quick, important exchanges that demand action. If you give long-winded explanations, you betray its purpose. Keep your messages short, crisp, and to-the-point.

3. Respect privacy

Avoid discussing sensitive or confidential information, such as personal details, financial information, or proprietary data, over instant messaging. If you need to share sensitive information, consider using secure communication channels like encrypted email or face-to-face meetings.

4. Timely responses

Prompt responses are essential for effective communication and collaboration in the workplace. When you receive a message, make an effort to reply within a reasonable timeframe. This shows respect for your colleagues and helps maintain a productive workflow.

5. Set boundaries

Instant messaging doesn’t mean instant access, especially outside of traditional working hours. Even within traditional working hours, your recipient could be in a meeting or in the middle of deep work.

Set up clear guidelines for your team on when to use instant messaging. Most importantly, set rules for yourself. Schedule specific times to check messages and stick to them. Define boundaries and encourage your team to set statuses when they’re occupied with other tasks. Ideally, don’t disturb your teammates outside working hours unless it’s for an emergency and non-routine updates. Respect everyone’s time and encourage this culture within your team.

6. Stay organized

Group and label your messages neatly in instant messaging tools. Create different groups or channels for dedicated topics to avoid distractions and disarray. This makes it easy to find information quickly when you need it. Classify your individual chats and use colors or other markers to highlight them.

7. Status updates

Use status updates effectively to indicate when you are busy or available. It allows you to stay focused without any unintended interruptions.

8. Minimize distractions

Limit distractions to create a more focused and productive work environment. This includes minimizing instant messaging use during meetings or when working on tasks that require deep concentration. Consider setting aside specific times for checking and responding to messages, such as during breaks or at the end of the day.

9. Using a work management tool

Work management tools like ClickUp centralize workplace communication and simplify messaging processes so teams can work more efficiently and stay connected, ultimately driving better project outcomes.

Here are some of the ClickUp features that can help you with instant messaging at work:

ClickUp Chat View:

ClickUp Chat View provides a user-friendly interface for sending and receiving messages in real time. The chat view is integrated seamlessly into the ClickUp Workspace, allowing you to communicate directly without leaving the platform.

You can engage in one-on-one conversations or group chats, keeping all discussions organized and accessible within the project management environment.

Some of the other features that the Chat View provides include:

File sharing: You can share files, documents, and images directly within the chat, making it easy to collaborate on projects and share information
Assign tasks: Use ClickUp @mentions to bring anyone into the conversation and assign comments to ensure work is moving without any distractions
Task management integration: Seamlessly connect chat conversations with tasks in ClickUp, allowing you to discuss project details, assign tasks, and track progress directly within the chat
Real-time updates: Stay updated on project developments and receive notifications for task assignments, comments, and mentions

Also Read: 10 Best Team Communication Apps and Tools in 2024

ClickUp Brain:

ClickUp Brain is a smart assistant that helps you craft effective messages. It provides suggestions and templates for writing clear and impactful messages, ensuring that they are well-structured and relevant. This feature improves the quality of interactions and prevents misunderstandings.

Here’s how ClickUp Brain can help:

Quick access: Use the search function to quickly find the information you need, saving time and reducing the need for lengthy back-and-forth conversations
Polish your messages: Run high-stakes messages through ClickUp Brain to check for spelling, grammar, and tone

ClickUp Automations:

ClickUp’s Automation capabilities include its messaging app, which allows users to set up automated responses and schedule messages.

This can be particularly useful for sending reminders, updates, or notifications without manual intervention. Automation maintains consistent workplace communication and ensures that important messages or updates are sent to the right person at the right time.

ClickUp’s Instant Message Template:

ClickUp’s Instant Message Template addresses your first fear—how to get started. It is ready to use and can push you to get started within seconds.

To effectively manage conversations, create a separate project for each topic and invite relevant team members to join these projects. Use the search bar in the template to quickly locate important messages and archive outdated ones to organize your workspace. You can also set up notifications to stay informed about conversation progress and ensure timely responses.

Avoid disorganized chats and simplify collaboration with the ClickUp Instant Message Template

With this template, your team can:

Organize conversations: Keep all message threads in a single, well-structured location
Prioritize effectively: Focus on the most important conversations to maximize productivity
Ensure no messages are missed: Prevent overlooked or forgotten messages
Streamline collaboration: Say goodbye to disorganized chats and enjoy efficient teamwork

Download This Template

Also Read: 15 Free Project Communication Plan Templates: Excel, Word, & ClickUp

Security Aspects of Instant Messaging to Be Aware

Cyber threats can cause critical damage to business communication, especially when it comes to confidential organization data. Here are some things to bear in mind to understand how ClickUp’s Security features compare with those of other major platforms.

1. Unauthorized access

Keep your internal channels and groups to prevent hackers from unauthorized entry to your critical business communication. Ensure robust authentication measures and that everyone follows them.

ClickUp allows administrators to clearly define user roles and permissions, which ultimately limits access to sensitive information based on user roles.

2. Sensitive data

Instant messaging is incredibly convenient because it allows you to share any piece of information easily. However, it also comes with its share of risks. One of the most significant is data breaches. Sensitive information shared through instant messaging can be a prime target for hackers.

ClickUp supports Single Sign-On (SSO), which allows users to authenticate using their enterprise identity credentials. This simply means you eliminate the risk of managing multiple passwords.

3. Weak passwords

We’re all familiar with the temptation to use often-used, easy-to-remember passwords. They enable us to log in to our accounts quickly and effortlessly. But laziness can cost your organization a fortune. If you have a weak or old password, the chances of your account getting hacked are higher than someone with a difficult password. It’s also a good habit to update your passwords regularly.

ClickUp adheres to industry standards and regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2), and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), ensuring the platform meets high security and privacy standards.

Comparison of security features with other platforms

Industry-favorite business communication software and apps like Google Chat and Skype for Business have robust security features. Let’s see how ClickUp’s security features compare with other popular instant messaging apps.

Google Chat

Google Chat complies with popular industry security standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Google Chat’s messages are encrypted throughout their lifecycle. It is encrypted both while being transmitted and when stored
Google Chat has a session length that can vary based on factors like user activity and account settings. For instance, delegates and super admins may have shorter session durations

Skype for Business

Microsoft uses OAuth, a server-to-server authentication protocol, to ensure secure exchange of instant messages on Skype for Business and its other proprietary like Microsoft Exchange
Skype’s Role-based Access Control (RABA) ensures that users only get the required permission based on their role. It delegates administrative tasks and prevents errors with full permission
Skype for business uses 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP), and Transport Layer Security (TLS). Basically, one can say that they’re quite safe here

Slack

Slack offers end-to-end encryption for direct messages and files shared in direct messages. This means only you and the intended recipient can read or access the content
You can enable 2FA in Slack to add an extra layer of security by requiring a code from your phone or another device in addition to your password
Slack adheres to industry-standard compliance certifications like SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and GDPR, demonstrating its commitment to data protection

Also Read: What is Real-time Collaboration and How Can It Benefit Your Team?

Dealing with the Challenges and Drawbacks of Instant Messaging

While the benefits of instant messaging are plenty, it also has some drawbacks:

1. Distraction and low productivity

An instant messaging app’s constant flood of notifications can interrupt workflow and decrease productivity, making your day all about ‘ping!’ moments that make it hard to focus on anything.

This constant need to check messages can lead to what’s known as ‘context switching,’ where your brain has to shift gears, depriving you of energy and time.

Solutions:

Establish specific times during the day to check and respond to messages
Activate Do Not Disturb features on your device to avoid distractions during crucial tasks
Clearly define your priorities and allocate time accordingly

2. Miscommunication and lack of clarity

Unlike phone calls or video calls, instant messages can be easily misinterpreted due to a lack of tone and context, which may result in potential conflicts or misunderstandings among employees. This can result in recipients misreading the intent or seriousness of a message, causing confusion or offense.

Solutions:

Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification, if you’re unsure about the meaning of a message
Avoid jargon and ambiguous terms. Be specific and direct in your messaging
Use emojis and GIFs sparingly to convey tone and emotion, but be mindful of cultural differences

3. Overload of information

An instant messaging app can overwhelm you with information, making it difficult to prioritize and stay focused. This information overload can result in confusion, missed messages, and important details getting lost in the chatter.

Solutions:

Leverage the search function to quickly find specific messages or information
Use channels or folders to categorize conversations and keep them organized
Mute notifications from less important channels or individuals to reduce information overload

4. Dependence on technology

Extreme dependency on any instant messaging app can cause critical problems if it faces technical glitches and refuses to cooperate.

If employees depend heavily on instant messaging, any outage can halt work. Important messages may not get through, critical updates will go unchecked, and decision-making can be delayed, leading to frustration.

Solutions:

Don’t rely solely on instant messaging. Consider using email, phone calls, or face-to-face meetings for important discussions
Develop contingency plans for technical glitches or outages, such as using alternative communication methods
Keep your messaging app and device software updated to minimize technical issues

5. Lack of personal interaction

Instant messaging can reduce face-to-face interactions, negatively impacting your team-building goals.

Without in-person communication, it’s challenging to build healthy relationships, understand non-verbal hints, and create a sense of community among team members. This lack of personal connection can lead to feelings of isolation and weaken the overall team spirit.

Solutions:

Promote casual interactions outside of work, such as team-building activities or virtual coffee breaks
Conduct regular team meetings, both in-person and virtually, to encourage personal connections and build relationships
When possible, use video conferencing to see and hear each other, which can enhance communication and build rapport

6. Inappropriate use

We may naturally end up using an instant messaging app for non-work-related conversations. When we get caught up in casual chats, it can distract us from the tasks at hand.

This misuse of messaging platforms can result in less focus on work and more time spent on off-topic discussions.

Solutions:

Educate employees about the potential consequences of inappropriate use and encourage responsible behavior
Establish clear guidelines for the appropriate use of instant messaging in the workplace

7. Difficulty in tracking and accountability

It can be challenging to track conversations and ensure accountability with instant messaging, especially in remote working conditions.

Important discussions and decisions might get buried in the messages, making it difficult to review past interactions or hold employees accountable for their contributions and commitments.

Solutions:

Clearly communicate expectations regarding response times, accountability, and documentation
Review your chat history to track conversations, to-do lists, and decisions

ClickUp’s approach to instant messaging

Workspace settings and policies can be configured to align with company guidelines and monitor usage
Detailed audit logs, message history, and task assignment features help enhance tracking and accountability
ClickUp’s Checklists provide tools like tags, threads, and channels to manage and prioritize information effectively
Customizable notification settings and Do Not Disturb modes help you manage distractions
Integrated features in its instant messaging app, like threaded conversations and message editing, improve clarity and context. ClickUp’s AI Edit features assist in crafting a message, or you can also edit the existing text
Ensures high availability and reliability through regular maintenance and robust infrastructure
Integrates with video conferencing tools and encourages hybrid communication strategies

Leverage Instant Messaging at Work for Efficient Communication

The evolution of instant messaging tools, particularly with platforms like ClickUp and other popular instant messaging apps, has come a long way from its humble beginnings.

Instant messaging platforms were initially simple tools for quick exchanges, but they have evolved into sophisticated platforms that integrate amazing project management features.

So leverage ClickUp’s features, such as Chat view, AI assistant, automation, and messaging templates, to make efficient use of instant messaging at work.