Communication overload
SteveThere has been a proliferation of new communication technologies and services that are/can be used for work purposes in the last several years. Whether it is the newer tools that have seen increased adoption in the workplace like Slack or the just released Microsoft Teams, collaboration technologies that have adopted chat or discussion features like Box or Evernote, and of course the myriad social platforms that are also used for work communication like LinkedIn, Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. and the sheer number of places, systems, and tools that a modern professional has to keep up with is pretty daunting at times.
Oh, and I didn't even mention email, voicemail, and (lord help us, the actual phone). Who knows what tool to use or where to look for, check, or send a new message these days?
The comic from xkcd below illustrates this problem in a succinct, and clever way, (email and RSS subscribers may need to click through)
For me, the (sub-optimal) answer has been to mostly ignore the communication tools that I would prefer not to use at all for work reasons, (voicemail, Twitter DMs, Facebook, and most LinkedIn messages). My strategy is that the people trying to connect with me using those media will eventually interpret my non-responsiveness as a signal that they (if they really need to reach me for work reasons), try another method.
For what's it worth, some time back I blogged about the preferred ways to contact me for work reasons to try and make it more clear how I would prefer to communicate.
But the problem with that old list, and with simply ignoring (or shutting off) any of the other popular tools for business communication is that it fails to take into account what the other person would prefer. So taking a blanket approach like I have, (essentially I want everything to be in email, while I am not always great about keeping up with it at times, at least I know where I can find everything), or text (I actually like texting for work a lot, it keeps things short and sweet), keeps me from effectively communicating with people who might like phone calls or who are comfortable using social networks like Twitter or Facebook for work purposes.
But the truth is almost no one would prefer to use every possible tool in the cartoon above to manage their work communication - it would be maddening if not impossible. And my guess is having to keep up with so many avenues for work communication are contributing to stress, burnout, and the inability to have any separation between work and not-work.
It is probably a pretty good idea for HR and talent leaders to be cognizant of how workplace communication tools have multiplied and how the associated expectations for employee monitoring and responsiveness have changed as well.
Some places do have written, (or at least well-understood but unwritten), expectations for reading and responding to email for example, but I bet not many have similar guidelines or cultural norms for newer tools like Slack, the use of public social networks or apps for workplace messaging, and when (or if), employees can and should use texting for work communication. In small organizations, and in small teams that tend to mostly interact within the team, it is usually something that is pretty easy to work out.
One quick discussion the manager should have on Day One should go something like this : "We use email for formal stuff and team or company wide announcements, (respond if you have to send a response, and do it within one day unless there are unusual circumstances), Slack for 'real' collaboration conversations, (respond according to the demands and schedules of the project/task), and texting only for brief, and usually essential, or time-sensitive reasons (respond accordingly, you know, like a human)." Don't mention tools like Facebook or WhatsApp if you don't want them used for workplace messaging and then you likely will never have an issue with employees having 17 different Inboxes to monitor every day.
And finally, if you are starting a new communication with someone you don't work with regularly, you don't know, or is outside your organization, start with the more formal traditional tools first, (email, phone, voicemail), and don't jump to Facebook Messenger or a Twitter DM unless you are sure the person wants to use those tools for work. Not every business contact wants you sliding into their DMs.
Ok, that's it, I am out. Probably need to take my own medicine know and try and catch up on my email.
But don't try leaving me a voicemail, it's full.
Reader Comments (37)
It is very interesting. Thank you!
If you are looking for learn about window 10 follow this link address and learn about window 10 this is really amazing window learning website.This website always provide you step by step knowledge with full information.click and learn about windows 10.
Thanks for sharing this informative information.....
Assignmenthelp.us provides different services like programming help, homework help, dissertation help, MBA help, essay help, thesis help
Thank you for sharing the blog. There are numerous reasons that lead students to seek professional WBS assignment help online. One cannot negate the fact working on WBS assignments can be quite strenuous for a student, which compels them to seek the assistance of WBS assignment helpers online. At MyAssignmenthelp.co.uk, they receive numerous requests from MBA students, asking for WBS assignment help. Visit them to avail of the service.
My Assignment Help assist students to achieve the aim of winning accolades and success in career. We have the best team of Aussie writers, proofreaders, editors and project managers to offer 100% authentic write-ups. Unique my assignment help Australia services are provided by writers knowledgeable and experienced in handling complex academic assignments. Our dedicated my assignment help assist students’ score the best grades in all subjects and semesters.
My Assignment Help Help
My Assignment Help is the most preferred place to get assignment help Australia services where we offer 100% plagiarism free and money back guarantee ensuring complete satisfaction of students with every order.
With the assistance of our master coaches, students present the assignments in the given time and can show signs of improvement grades without hardly lifting a finger.
There aren’t any clear records to show when the wearing of school uniforms really started. But this tradition has certainly been around for hundreds of years. In the United States, it was observed that more schools started to implement uniforms after President Bill Clinton pitched for the use of school uniforms in his 1996 State of the Union.
Moreover, we have an extended family of 20,000 experts, spread across the Globe, who possess the zealous spirit of academic writing.
GotoAssignmenthelp Service is a well-established and prominent name in providing high-quality essay writing assignment help online to students since almost a decade. You can trust our academic ghost writers completely to get best quality write-ups including case studies, research proposals, dissertations and theses, and more. It is the best Javascript Assignment service. Students should always keep themselves ready to meet the university requirements in order to achieve good grades, moreover, they prefer attending lengthy classes instead of writing assignments. Students who are not comfortable with writing assignments can avail university Assignment Services help at Gotoassignmenthelp Services comparatively low prices.
Crazy for study is an exemplary platform that is celebrated all over Australia for its finest online assignment help. We have a dedicated team of over 3000 academic writers who hold masters and doctorates in their respective specializations.We at crazyforstudy.com are mastered in offering online assignment help to the needy and incapable souls at affordable rates. Students can get around the clock assistance with all types of essays, dissertations, reports, homework, coursework, etc.
Use finance assignment help to finish your finance or accounting papers without messing yourself. You will get assured solutions to your numerical questions within your defined date or time.
My Assignment Services have been helping a lot of students in providing assistance to students who frequently get worried about their assessment tasks and went online to search for instant assignment help terms.
I found a lot of useful information on paper that helps me write the best essays in many subjects over the last two years.
We also offer customized Physics Homework Help solutions to the students of the UK. We make our services easy and reliable by customizing the solutions as per the student’s needs and demands.
We are a well-known writing service provider in Australia. If anyone looking for a genuine assignment help service provider over there, then come to us for guaranteed results.
SPSS Assignment is one of the important and the complex job given to the students. So, to help the students here is the SPSS Assignment help by the team of total assignment help. Contact us freely.
We are a top rated law assignment help Online service here with experts specializing in a wide range of disciplines ensuring you get the assignments that score maximum grades.
If you are feeling like you are facing a complex job in assignment writing, then Just click on uaeassignmenthelp.com.We have a famed team of assignment writer who will deliver your assignment before the date of the expiry date and 100% privacy policy. Order now- Best UAE assignment writers