Intermedia’s business communications survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Intermedia, reviewed the appropriateness level of various communications situations.

 

 

 

 

According to the survey, 81 percent of respondents say it is somewhat/completely inappropriate to take a conference call on a cell phone while in public. On the other hand, after-hours texting between colleagues isn’t seen widely as impolite, with over half saying it is okay to do so.

 

 

 

 

The survey finds that two out of three say it is completely/somewhat inappropriate to connect with a boss on social media platforms such as Facebook.

 

 

 

 

66 percent say that using emoticons, such as smiley faces in emails and instant messages, isn’t appropriate. Perception of emoticons does vary based on workers’ age, with 77 percent of workers who are 55+ saying emoticons are inappropriate — but only 58 percent of workers who are 18-34 agreeing.

 

 

 

 

81 percent agree that copying a person’s boss on an email in order to gain leverage is inappropriate, preferring to first work out issues directly with coworkers. While 71 percent of those in the 18-34 age range say it is completely/somewhat inappropriate to take a conference call from a public place, that number skyrockets to 98 percent for those 55 and older.

 

 

 

 

“New tools for communication – from tablets to social media -are creating new etiquette questions,” said Manlio Carrelli, CMO, Intermedia.

 

 

 

 

“Common sense still applies to issues like taking conference calls in public settings – be respectful of your neighbors. Questions like using emoticons are more nuanced. For instance, many of the global small businesses we work with find emoticons occasionally useful for communicating tone across borders, but using them in other settings, such as when sending a sales proposal, is likely not appropriate,” Carrelli added.

 

 

 

 

By Telecomlead.com Team
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