Many companies now have internal messaging systems with which it is very easy to send a quick message to the colleagues. They normally also show the status, so that people can see if you are sitting at your desk or if you are in a meeting. They even see how long you have been away from your desk creating extra pressure on you. Certain people will wait until your status symbol shows that you are back at your desk to immediately call you when you are back. Others will wonder why you are not replying to their email 5 minutes after you are back at your desk.
These messenger systems can be useful on rare occasions, such as for example if you need to quickly as a question to a colleague while you are on the phone. However they are no good when you need to discuss something. When chat windows open, you get distracted from your primary task. Then you use time, because you are watching your colleague type and wait for the answer. That is normally the sign that a conversation would have been more efficient. In most cases picking up the phone or going over to your colleague’s desk to discuss will be more efficient. Also some people have the tendency to only write "Hello". When you reply "hello", they will go on with "how are you?". Most of the time, by that second message I am already irritated, because for me it obviously shows that the other person is bored. If he or she was busy, then they would immediately say what they need. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you should be rude. All I am saying is that you should be concise and straight to the point. When I am busy, I actually find it more polite when they just get straight to the point. For me it is literally impolite to go on chit-chatting when the other person I obviously busy. So how should you do it then? You can be perfectly polite and concise in your request. If you say: "Good morning, at what time is or meeting this afternoon?" that is perfectly fine. The reply could be "Hi Anne, the meeting is at 3:00 pm. See you then?" "Yes, see you then!". The discussion is short and straight to the point, because that is what the chat is for. The chat is not for debating a topic or for asking complex questions. If that is what you need to do, then pick up the phone.
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