Self-Helpless: True Tales of a Working Girl: The Age of IM

3/15/2006

The Age of IM

In an age of email, cell phones, Blackberrys and Instant Messaging, staying “connected” is paramount, particularly in business.

But let’s talk about Instant Messaging. IM is one of those neat little technological advances that helps keep people in touch with one another. When merely calling someone on the phone isn’t quick enough, one can count on IM. It’s easy enough to access, you can respond at your leisure, and it’s easy to end the conversations.

Many people and businesses rely heavily it. Of course, not everyone needs it. Many times it’s an easy way to say “hi” to a friend during the work day without the interruption of a phone call. It’s easy to use IM during business hours and makes it appear as though you’re working. But that’s neither here nor there.

The long and short of it is that everyone’s using it. While during the work day personal use should be kept to a minimum, it does help to get work done.

What I think is interesting is that in my department, IM is frowned upon. While everyone else in the company uses it as much as email, we poor schlubs get the beat-down for being caught on it. As a matter of fact, one of our goals is to be “mindful of the fact that Instant Messaging… be used only during pre-work, lunch or post-work hours.” Yeah.

Then the company goes and rolls out its own intra-office IM. What’s interesting about that is that those in power use it probably more than the rest of us. Hmmm…