What is the protocol to reply when someone sends you (for example) an email, followed by a text, followed by a Teams message - all within 5 minutes - all on the same topic, and none of it urgent or even minimally critical?

17 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 4,2023 at 1:55PM UTC

   I only respond to one message. No need to further waste your time.

   We have internal communication standards where our team is expected to respond within 1 business day internally & 2 business days externally.

   If I have an urgent matter, I'll follow up after 10 minutes or so via a different communication method as will my team. And if someone is overcommunicating, I'd let them know that - if you're in a position to suggest guidelines around email versus Teams - I'd suggest that. We only use email for items that need to be documented long term, but can use email or Teams for other matters.

2. AnonymousMay 4,2023 at 2:59PM UTC

   Agreed, it is best to respond through one channel. I think it is a little excessive that this person is messaging you about a non-urgent topic in a short amount of timeframe. I would just let them know your preference of communication when it comes to this type of discussion.

3. AnonymousMay 4,2023 at 3:00PM UTC

   You teach people the level of engagement that is warranted. That means you delay response until appropriate and only via Teams.

4. AnonymousMay 4,2023 at 3:08PM UTC

   You have to just reset them and train them on when you'll respond. Do it during business hours and respond on teams.

   If it's brought up, just state that the lack of communication standards is unclear.

   I would also block their number on my cell phone, personally. They don't need to contact you there at all.

5. Audrey KirschMay 4,2023 at 4:51PM UTC

   I have clients that do something similar to me when trying to reach me outside of normal work hours but what you describe is comical to me. Just respond in whichever mode you prefer and let them know your preference for any future correspondence. If the multiple contacts continue after you've stated your preference, just ignore all of their attempts to reach you since your opinion is not respected.

6. AnonymousMay 4,2023 at 8:46PM UTC

   To add to this. If you feel guilty not responding to each message or it frustrates you to have them as unread, respond to the others with an added delay. This will help emphasize your preferred method of being contacted.

   Example. If email is your preferred method of contact reply there first, then wait a couple of hours and reply via the secondary communication channel (teams or text), after a couple more hours respond to the message on the 3rd and final communication channel.

   If you don't want this person texting you ever, you can wait until the work day is over and say that you don't check your phone during the work day.

   If you have an iPhone, highly recommend turning read receipts off on the phone so that they can't see that you saw the message and were ignoring them.

7. Barb HansenMay 4,2023 at 6:13PM UTC

   I would respond via email with an additional note saying that, in the future, this person can contact me via Teams (or email, whatever one I want them to use or team culture dictates) and would also remind them that I'll respond in timely but not urgent manner to their requests. If the issue is urgent and they expect an immediate response, they can call or text me.

   Then, this time only, I would respond to each of the other public communication modality they used with a curt "I've contacted you via email as that how you first contacted me on this matter" just to close the loop for anyone else that might see their message.

   If the person connected me privately on Teams, I would not respond to that first message, nor would I engage with them via txt (unless I wanted to continue a text message relationship with them).

   In the future, if this person emails me and messages me on Teams, I would then ignore one of those communications.

   Here's my overarching feeling on people trying every way to reach me, b/c I don't respond quickly enough for them, "unless the sky is falling or the company is dying, nothing requires me to respond to you in seconds, so chill."

8. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMay 5,2023 at 3:31AM UTC

   Uh, no. Just no.

   You just reply to one message. By doing this, they're trying to demand a response. I would ignore anything but emergencies. Respond when you want to/have time to.

   If they sent you a message saying "there are cupcakes in the breakroom" that doesn't even need a response unless you're asking someone to save you one.

9. AnonymousMay 5,2023 at 12:06PM UTC

   I believe you can kindly let them know that although you like they want to get the word out but what works best for you is ABC form of communication as you check ABC first or most often. Cupcakes, just say thanks for letting you know. That's just kindness.

10. AnonymousMay 5,2023 at 1:15PM UTC

    This is a blatant abuse of company resources, and the distractions are causing issues with productivity. Discuss with management about setting a policy for your department on the protocol for using the various platforms. If each person specifies their protocol, make sure that when you send out an email, use a signature that lets them know your preferred method of communication. If this is that much of a problem, set up an auto-reply for messages that states how often you check that particular platform (I believe you can do that on email and TEAMS, but I wouldn't do it for texts to avoid smishing). Since some of these platforms are new, it is possibly overused due to the "newness" and people being overly enthusiastic and curious about how it works.

    I have noticed that many people now refuse to answer phones unless they know who is calling, and also refuse to listen to voicemail, but when the call is done, they will immediately call the number back, wanting to know who tried to contact them and why.

11. AnonymousMay 5,2023 at 6:12PM UTC

    Typically urgency is where the teams/slack/chat requests go. In some companies that has taken the priority over email. If someone is asking you to do something then I would suggest letting them know the one preferred channel you respond to. You could add to your signature file on all platforms - for urgent requests use teams, non-urgent email. Please don't text me. I would only respond for the situation you described on the channel that you want to use preferentially. We've become Palvov's dogs in that the ping makes us respond and drop everything. Don't let it rule your world.

12. misskelleypMay 5,2023 at 7:26PM UTC

    If it's cupcakes and you're not interested, just ignore it. If it's actually work related and doesn't seem urgent to you, then just reply (On ONE channel) with something like: I saw your messages and will get back to you as soon as I can. And then follow through and answer them when you can.

13. Julie WozniakMay 6,2023 at 2:29PM UTC

    On the Teams & Text: "See email."

    Reply with an email.

14. Jennifer sommervilleMay 6,2023 at 5:03PM UTC

    If possible, develop a communication plan to set expectations. Include your communication preferences to set expectations and have your immediate team do the same. Your immediate team should be in agreement about proper communication etiquette. Example: Topics that are not time sensitive belong in email, topics that require dialogue or need attention within the day belong in teams, urgent escalations warrant a text message or phone call based on escalation criteria. Escalations should be defined separately.

    Set expectations for how often you’ll be reviewing messages in each communication channel. Example: emails within the week, teams periodically throughout the day, texts immediately if urgent. Feel free to ignore messages that don’t meet the criteria of the agreement.

    Setting boundaries and expectations is a healthy habit for everyone and crucial for your sanity.

15. AnonymousMay 7,2023 at 1:29AM UTC

    Just one form, preferably email is enough.

16. AnonymousMay 7,2023 at 11:42AM UTC

    Absolutely not! If it is not a business matter which has an immediate deadline, you should reply when YOU are ready to reply. And only reply to one form of communication, preferably the first one they chose to use. I would probably refrain from responding to the text. Everyone’s urgency is not your urgency (or at least it shouldn’t be).

    Set boundaries early with your teammates through your actions. If they need to be followed up by direct words, then that is what you need to do. Do not let others determine your timeline for you.Also, if I’m in the middle of something I will put my Skype/Teams availability on red and if they are in the office and can see me, will put my computer headphones on my ears. This is me setting a boundary.

    Figure out what works for you so that you don’t help coworkers create mentally unhealthy and unproductive habits for you.

17. AnonymousMay 9,2023 at 5:05PM UTC

    I'd reply to one of them with "Got it. Thanks."