Texting Do’s and Don’ts in the Workplace

Texting may be acceptable when you:

• Want to schedule a meeting or check someone’s availability.

• Are asking or answering a simple, single question, espe- cially when only a yes or no answer is required.

• Have an emergency that has kept you from work.

• Will be late for an appointment or meeting.

Don’t text when you are:

• Having a long, two-way conversation. You should pick up the phone or talk face-to-face.
• Writing long, complex questions or long answers.
• Angry, aggravated, annoyed, or upset—the messages you send could be misunderstood For example, what does it mean if I include this emoticon 🙁 in my text message? Am I sad, upset, angry, or irate?