| What does intra-office communication look like in | | | | Internet), but that's really not a significantly greater |
| your workplace? | | | | risk than talking on the phone (particularly if the |
| Are employees standing around waiting to speak to | | | | phone traffic is going outside of your private |
| one another? Are there too many interruptions of | | | | company switch). You're also taking on some risk |
| important meetings, discussions, and phone calls? Or | | | | that the tool will be abused by employees (for |
| has communication become so impersonal that you're | | | | instance, talking to a boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse at |
| sending emails to the person who sits next to you to | | | | some other location), but if that's a real risk for you, |
| ask simple questions? | | | | the root problem probably exists whether you're |
| Technology is a wonderful conduit for communication, | | | | using instant messaging or not. |
| but it should never be used as a buffer (in other | | | | The main benefit is the ability to actively and |
| words, nothing beats good ol' talking). There is, | | | | professionally communicate with colleagues and |
| however, a solution that helps streamline intra-office | | | | employees with little interruption to other ongoing |
| communication while maintaining active conversations... | | | | communication. Imagine being able to flag one of |
| instant messaging. | | | | your employees down to retrieve some information |
| There are many instant messaging solutions available, | | | | while you're on an important conference call (without |
| almost all of them are free of charge. Here are a | | | | having to place the conference on-hold or run down |
| few of the most popular: | | | | the hall, abandoning the call temporarily). Or imagine |
| - AIM® (AOL® Instant Messenger) | | | | the ability to ask simple questions of a colleague (that |
| - Windows Live Messengerk | | | | really don't merit interruption and that can be easily |
| - Yahoo!® | | | | fielded) while he/she is on a conference call. You can |
| There are a few risks in using this solution. Mainly, | | | | find a wide variety of applications of constructive |
| you're opening up some of your communication to | | | | instant messaging in the office. |
| the external world (this traffic is going over the public | | | | |