Billions of messages later: the future of text messaging and the workplace
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In a world where instant is not fast enough, it is no wonder text messaging is so popular. Who wants to wait for a phone call to be returned? Or for someone to receive and respond to an e-mail? The speed and efficiency of text messaging has infiltrated and revolutionized communication in all aspects of life, including the workplace. But it is not without problems.
“Text messaging has been a blessing and a curse,” said Leane Vandrovec, Program Coordinator for Bryant Avenue Residence, a group home in South St. Paul. “Text messaging has been a great addition because as more people become text savvy, it’s less invasive. It’s also a major distraction because people don’t think it’s a big deal because it’s only one second, but all those seconds add up.”
Christina Nelson, Program Coordinator for Ohoda Residence, a foster home, agrees with Vandrovec. “Cell phones and text messaging have made it easier to get a hold of staff at the last minute to cover shifts and text messaging makes it easier to multi-task,” said Nelson. “You don't get stuck in phone conversations that you may not have time for.”
Conversations via text messages instead of calls are becoming the social norm. Text messaging use increased 321 percent from 2005 to 2007 while cell phone minute use increased 55 percent according to CTIA: The Wireless Association.
While simplifying some aspects of work, text messaging may have a negative effect on employees’ ability to focus on the task at hand. “The ability for friends to communicate and carry on conversations with staff while they are on shift has, at times, taken away from the attention that should be given to the residents,” said Nelson.
The everyday consumer can also feel neglected. “I don’t notice cell phones in high-end retail stores,” said Southdale Mall shopper Amanda Buzzell. “But in other stores, for example I was just in an athletic shoe store, one employee helped me while the other sat behind the register and mumbled about his text conversation. I felt bad, like I was eavesdropping, even though he was the one being rude and unprofessional.”
Erin Schaus, an employee at Coach in Southdale, said there is a policy in place about cell phone use but it is not perfect. “We aren’t allowed to have our phones on the floor and generally that’s not a problem,” Schaus said, “but some people will compulsively go to the back room to check their phones and that’s when it becomes a problem to co-workers and to our customers.”
And the problem is only expected to grow: CTIA experts estimate text messaging use to increase from 28.8 billion per month in 2007 to 80 billion per month in 2008.
“I’m sure as more personal devices become developed, the more they will be brought into the workplace,” said Nelson. “I think we will begin seeing a lot more company policies specifically addressing the use of these items while on shift as a way to monitor and hopefully prevent the misuse of these items in the workplace.”