A SURVEY OF ORGANIZATIONAL INSTANT MESSAGING

Instant Messaging software has increasingly been used as an alternative communications platform in many organizations. Although Instant Messaging (IM) began as a personal tool for online communication, the software has now been implemented in many organizations and workplaces. The usefulness of IM software has been shown in literature to be positive, increasing efficiency and productivity in the workplace. This paper explores the perceptions of IM software users in the workplace. We solicited opinions to verify the claim of IM’s effect on efficiency and productivity. We also discuss the limitations and negative effects of IM. A pilot survey and data analysis techniques provide the measurement of IM software’s worth or liability to an organization. The results show what components of IM software are most commonly used and what limitations software places on the users. We also provide recommendation of possible enhancements to IM software in this paper