hothardware.com — The results of a recently published study of workers' instant messaging (IM) use shows that IM can actually improve workplace productivity. This contradicts a widely held belief that IM in the workplace is a hindrance to productivity.
Jun 11, 2008 View in Crawl 4
inyearstocomeJun 11, 2008
Allow IM's... My productivity will go up immediately, because I dont have to waste time figuring out how to tunnel through the firewall.
netrilixJun 12, 2008
Where I work, it depends on what I'm doing. If I have to go over something long, I'll walk to the person's office. If it's "Hey, what are we putting for field 42 on form 3427 for customer 43062?", I'll send an IM. Also, nothing beats IM for when you or the person you need to talk to is working from home. I'll admit that I have a few personal IMs going, but I get my work done quickly enough that it doesn't matter. My predecessor and I have streamlined so much of the job that we don't feel bad taking a few minutes of personal time when we've just finished a huge stack of paperwork.
netrilixJun 12, 2008
Extremes are nearly always bad though. If people are taught to use it properly, it's a great tool.
Closed AccountJun 12, 2008
Maybe virtual socializing is more stimulating than physical socializing so that our IM-based breaks are keeping our minds active and ready for work.
lateralusJun 12, 2008
the study also said most IM sessions at work start with "a/s/l/pic?"
ossuaryJun 12, 2008
I just can't see how they get accurate info.I cannot tell you how many times I have had users install one IM client or the the other and then complain about their computer running slow. Sure it is not the client, but the damned crap Microsoft, AOL, and others package along with the actual IM client.If the IM client is centrally handled and outside world IM is locked down, then it could POSSIBLY be useful. However right now my folks are mainly chatting it up to Aunt Sue or friends and not doing a damned bit of actual work. Got to find out how those soap operas went yesterday after all!