So much has changed with technology just in the last two decades. How did we keep up with far-flung friends and relatives before Facebook? Have you noticed that people tend to speak in 140 character snippets? And are emojis the new hieroglyphs of modern language? Whether you want to admit it, or embrace it, or not, communication is changing based on the tools we have available to us. So is text messaging the next step in employee contact? Many experts suggest yes. Here are some text etiquette rules to keep in mind as an employer.

Be Clear

The biggest problem with text messaging as the only form of contact is the risk of miscommunication. It is important that when you’re sending a text message that you are as clear as possible in fewer words than you might need on a phone call or even an email. Your clarity will be the difference between a job well done and a major mistake.

Update Information

Whether or not you’re using text as the pr\imary tool of communication you need to ensure that you have all of the most updated information for your employees. It is critical that you can contact them when there is an emergency, so make sure you update their contact information regularly or give them the option to update it when something changes.

Create a Network

Texting can help you create a network that can reach more people at once. There can be group texts, or you could create an online bulletin board through a service such as Facebook. When you can contact everyone on your team at once it can help streamline communications.

Know What Not to Say

Of course, it is also essential to know what not to do over a text message. For instance, if you need to discipline or even terminate an employee never do that via text. In fact, even a phone call is generally inappropriate in this case. Always ask for a confidential meeting when issuing bad news.

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