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Stick to protocol. If you're sending an instant message, ask first if you're intruding. If you're receiving, learn to say "No" or "Stop" if you're being inundated or pinged at a bad time.
Don't hide online. If you're on, be visible. Answer inbound queries. Don't cloak or mask your presence. If the service has alerts or icons denoting your availability ("Busy" or "Do Not Disturb" mode or "Online" or "Available" mode), use them.
Keep it short. Instant messaging doesn't replace e-mail. Use instant messaging for quick-hit queries that require equally quick responses. Use e-mail for longer discussions and brainstorming, especially those that should be filed and saved.
No orders, please. Again, e-mail is better for requesting or ordering projects from a worker or workgroup. Use instant messaging to answer simple questions after the assignment is made.
Managers, don't use instant messaging to "watch" workers. This is the quickest way to scare workers off from using real-time messaging tools. Being on (or off) instant messaging is not an accurate indicator of whether your remote employees are working.
The basics of instant messaging etiquette
To ensure instant messaging helps rather than hinders workers' productivity, make sure everyone follows these rules:
- Jeff Zbar
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