What is your Teams (or other IM) etiquette/protocol/SOP?

[jlt19]

How do you reach out to someone that you don't work closely with (but same level, no superiority at play), but need to ask them something? Sort of a poll, but I'm curious from both sides.

Sender:
A. Hi jlt; Hope you are well; Can you send me xyz, when you get a chance?
B. Hi jlt; Hope you are well; (then leave it open ended until jlt responds?)

Receiver:
A. Hi Sender, sure. Give me a few minutes/hours/days/whatever.
B.1 Hi Sender, I'm well, hope you are too. What can I do for you?
B.2 (ignore until sender gives some context about what s/he is wanting)

To be clear, I think A is the only acceptable way things should go. But B happens to me CONSTANTLY and it is driving me insane. I used to do B1, but I've resorted to B2 because all of this back and forth stuff takes away from my time/focus. Especially when my status is red, showing I'm in a meeting/busy.

Am I being passive aggressive, or am I setting boundaries? I can't tell at this point b/c my job sucks right now and I hate everyone.

[Saudade]

A/A. The other options are ridiculous. I’m sorry people suck

[tealblue]

A/A is my preference but I get so much B. Then I message hi xx, I’m well, how are you. And then they message I’m well. And then they sit there or the little bubbles … go on. And then 10 min later they ask for whatever they wanted in the first part.

Sometimes I will jump to B1 and say I’m well, how can I help you? To speed things up.

[kdubs923]

A/A only.

Anyone sending me B is going to get ignored (so B.2).

[acr]

My response to B is typically a truncated B.1 more like "Hey, what can I do for you?". Basically no pleasantries unless it's a friend & then i might me more friendly.

[definitelyO]

Teams is for short "instant" messages, not a conversation. IMO

so A/A. But I would be in the B2 non-response camp with you

We have a lot of people in our office that are always showing red - our department protocol is that we send a '?' and if they can answer they'll respond - if not we wait or send an email.

[agnes]

Normally, I'd send A and reply A/B.1 to friendly colleagues. But with my close friend coworkers (hang out outside of work) I'll do a "yo" and wait for a response just to make sure they're actually there. If not, then I'd send an email (or text). They do the same.

ETA: my status is always "Appear offline" so, hypothetically, if I'm not a fan of a person or I don't know them and they message me with B, then I'd ignore. My direct supervisor doesn't even have teams.  So they'll probably assume I don't have it either.  

[glw]

A/A for sure.
Just tell me what you want!!

[scm1011]

Nothing enrages me more than B. They get ignored until they get to the point.

[hermione]

Certainly not Sender B. That's a complete waste of everyone's time. Online communication should be concise and serve a purpose.

And I am definitely Receiver B2. Don't make me ask what you want because I don't care enough to do that.

If you ask me for something specific, I will respond in a timely manner. If you say Hi, hope you are well, I am deleting it if that's an option but certainly ignoring.

ETA: I responded about email and adjusted for Teams

[pixy0stix]

AA

[livinitup]

I think the Sender B. should be listed as a crime against humanity.

[simpsongal]

I don't like Teams messages for requests like that - if you're not in frequent contact for work, they should send an email w/full sentences, the ask, the context, and the deadline (if any).

Eeesh.....

[jlt19]

He finally sent another message (44 minutes after the first set):
Are you there?
I need 5 minutes of your time.

Um, I'm here, but now really isn't a good time. I am an analyst. It's HARD to be so deep into something and someone want "5 minutes of my time". This is why I block off a few hours each day for focused time! I mean, clearly I've already come up for air, but I'm so annoyed.

And I STILL don't even know what he wants that 5 minutes of my time FOR.

[agnes]

Oh and also, if there's important stuff that needs documentation, I instruct the sender to email me their request. Our Teams conversations get deleted and can't be used for documentation purposes. If they don't email me, I'll recap the conversation in an email. I can't tell you how much this has saved my ass with management not remembering something that happened and I can pull up my emails instantly for a memory refresher.

[Susie]

#teamAA

Sender B sucks and also sounds like a bot.

[VillainV]

A/A. Ain’t nobody got time for teams chit chat. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll tell if/when I can do it.

[meanie]

I understand the recipient replying with B, I have probably done it myself. I'm busy, people! I will preface that I mostly respond like this when I am being contacted by offshore teams, I would be on the phone all day if I didn't screen the inquiries I get daily from 8,000 different teams.

I get a lot of "Hello" messages with zero follow up from random people, those annoy me the most...it feels like a trap

[Tacocat]

That would drive me insane. A is the only acceptable way to messsge someone. If you need to add context, send me an email or schedule a meeting. I hate when people ask for 5 mins or call me on teams when they have no idea if I’m available.

[TR]

I HATE the "I just need 5 minutes of your time". 1) if that's true, you could just ask the question here or in an email, 2) if you have to SHOW me something live, then explain what it is so I know what I'm getting into and 2a) it's probably going to be more than 5 minutes.

[SusanBAnthony]

A/A is obviously correct.

If B happens to me I do B/B2.

I am a terrible person.... If someone junior to me who I don't know well or work with ever does B, I will ignore them forever. I don't have time for this nonsense.

[eddy]

Never B

The whole point of an IM is to get to the point. I also think if this is something that needs an intro and politeness to it, it is more appropriate for an email. I use IMs for quick questions that do not need to be documented in email. 

[Deleted]

A/A but I"ve worked with other cultures that you first must engage in niceities before business or asking for something. It drove me up the wall but I understood it.

[eddy]

Oh and I have absolutely pulled a B.2. If you leave it open ended without telling me what you need, I don't feel obligated to get back to you quickly.

[eddy]

Jan 4, 2024 11:22:03 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

He finally sent another message (44 minutes after the first set):
Are you there?
I need 5 minutes of your time.

Um, I'm here, but now really isn't a good time. I am an analyst. It's HARD to be so deep into something and someone want "5 minutes of my time". This is why I block off a few hours each day for focused time! I mean, clearly I've already come up for air, but I'm so annoyed.

And I STILL don't even know what he wants that 5 minutes of my time FOR.

I would ignore him forever lol.

I often find people will get off the pot and finally email me like a civilized human with what they need. 

Also the person who said it always feels like a trap, it is because it is a trap. They know it isn't going to take 5 minutes and won't give you context because you will probably punt the conversation. If you go into it blindly it is much harder to back out and say I don't have time for this conversation. 

It is like random phone calls that need to be emails. Just because this is the top of head issue for you, doesn't mean it is something that should be breaking my concentration. As you can tell I am PASSIONATE about workplace communication lololol. 

[mrsukyankee]

A lot of it depends on who is IM'ing me. My friends will just type in a 'you there?'. I'll just type back, either, "busy, talk later" or "here, what's up?". For others, they tend to send a message of "Hi L, are you free to talk about X?" and I'lll let them know when I'm free. If they don't let me know what we're talking about, I'll probably just let them know I'm not currently free to talk and ask what the topic is.

[TR]

Jan 4, 2024 11:52:25 GMT -5 eddy said:

Jan 4, 2024 11:22:03 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

He finally sent another message (44 minutes after the first set):
Are you there?
I need 5 minutes of your time.

Um, I'm here, but now really isn't a good time. I am an analyst. It's HARD to be so deep into something and someone want "5 minutes of my time". This is why I block off a few hours each day for focused time! I mean, clearly I've already come up for air, but I'm so annoyed.

And I STILL don't even know what he wants that 5 minutes of my time FOR.

I would ignore him forever lol.

I often find people will get off the pot and finally email me like a civilized human with what they need. 

Also the person who said it always feels like a trap, it is because it is a trap. They know it isn't going to take 5 minutes and won't give you context because you will probably punt the conversation. If you go into it blindly it is much harder to back out and say I don't have time for this conversation. 

It is like random phone calls that need to be emails. Just because this is the top of head issue for you, doesn't mean it is something that should be breaking my concentration. As you can tell I am PASSIONATE about workplace communication lololol. 

FOREVER. He is now dead to me lol

[TR]

Also, OF COURSE, he's a he. OF FUCKING COURSE.

[lilypad1126]

A/A. But in my org, IT is the worst offender of B. Lots of "Hi Lilypad." And then nothing. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT! B/c with our IT it's never easy and it's always at least 20 minutes of your time, so tell me what you want so I can prepare myself for whatever it is.

[glw]

Jan 4, 2024 11:22:03 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

He finally sent another message (44 minutes after the first set):
Are you there?
I need 5 minutes of your time.

Um, I'm here, but now really isn't a good time. I am an analyst. It's HARD to be so deep into something and someone want "5 minutes of my time". This is why I block off a few hours each day for focused time! I mean, clearly I've already come up for air, but I'm so annoyed.

And I STILL don't even know what he wants that 5 minutes of my time FOR.

"Hi dickbag, if this is urgent I am available at X time for a 5-minue zoom/phone call; please send me a calendar invite. Otherwise, send me an email with the request and timeline. Smell ya later."