Professionalism in the Modern Workplace - Communication Channels

Description

Testing knowledge of appropriate communication channels (email or instant messaging) for different workplace scenarios.

Use with the following material:

Email vs Instant Messaging

In today's workplace, you will likely use email and instant messaging to communicate with supervisors, colleagues, clients, vendors, and other partners a lot more than you will communicate face-to-face. Learning when to write an email versus when to send a quick message is something you will pick up as you work with different teams on various projects, but the table below offers some guidance that should help in most situations.

Consider using email when:

You want to communicate more formally.

You need to convey complex information.

You need to distribute a message to multiple recipients (using CC or BCC functions).

You want to establish a traceable record or history of communication.

You need to communicate outside of your department or organization.

Consider using instant messaging when:

You have a question that can be answered quickly.

You are collaborating closely with a colleague in real-time.

You want to provide brief updates to a team.

You need to address a time-sensitive or urgent matter.

You want to build rapport with a colleague.

Note that these tips might vary depending on the culture, norms, or policies of an organization. Some companies, for example, may discourage the use of email for any internal communication to reduce strain on inboxes. If you're unsure of whether something should be sent via email or instant messaging, it doesn't hurt to ask a colleague or your supervisor for their thoughts.