Article 10

Instant messaging at the workplace - Josh Rayan

http://community.jobscentral.com.sg/node/397

SUMMARY:

The article by Josh Rayan, “Instant Messaging at the Workplace”, talks about the growing acceptance of IM in the workplace. This article is discussed from a Singaporean point-of-view and includes thoughts on the local work culture and IM. The increasing popularity of using IM in business is that it allows for real time communication and information flow. Just by sitting at your PC, you can get in touch with loads of people at faraway location. In our globalized world, bosses and employees often travel and frequent communication is a must to stay competitive. As such, IM is heavily utilized in modern offices as a cost-efficient and responsive mean of communication. However, IM is often misused in workplaces. A study by Blue Coat Systems of Sunnyvale, California, found that more than 65 percent of respondents used IM for personal chats at work; only 27 percent used it just for business. Nearly 80 percent admitted gossiping online.