Instant messaging while at work can save a lot of time and effort, but there are a few etiquette rules you should follow for an effective communication.
Barbara Pachter, career coach and author of 'The Essentials of Business Etiquette', has compiled a list of some important online chat rules you should abide by, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Pachter believes that it is important to know the person before you IM them, start with a short greeting to check if the person is free or not, and keep in mind the receiver's preferred style of communication.
Pachter asserted that conversation on IM should be kept short and precise and you should never send bad news via IM.
Additionally, it is only appropriate that you should never change meeting times or venues in an IM and end conversations with "thank you".
