Texting vs Email in the Workplace
When it comes to email and messaging in the workplace, the most important thing is to get ahold of your employees as soon as possible when things are urgent. Waiting for a non-desk employee to see their email when they’re unable to get an internet connection or don’t have an email-capable device can make it difficult to share essential information. With work-related text messages, employees will be notified almost immediately rather than waiting to check their email. It’s possible that non-desk employees don’t have company emails either. This makes texting even more accessible when understanding how to schedule a text message to your team so they receive them at the best times.
But what are the advantages and disadvantages of text messages in business? What about email? It’s often said that email is more professional, but text messaging doesn’t have to be an unprofessional form of employee communication. So what’s the real difference between email and text? We will explore the two and their different purposes within business operations.
What Is the Difference Between Email Writing and Text Message?
Email and texting capabilities have transformed over the years, but companies should always pursue the most effective and efficient way to communicate with employees. As a manager or HR employee, having access to workers in an instant is essential, especially when it’s urgent. Users can send and receive short messages by using a mobile device that supports text messaging, often known as SMS (short message service). On the other hand, sending messages and data through a computer network is called email (or electronic mail).
But what is the difference between text messages and email messages? To break it down, here’s what email vs. text looks like:
- Internet connection vs. cellular connection
- Long form vs. short form
- Email client vs. standard phone
While both email and SMS are important forms of employee communication, their differences show most in their use cases. Emails are best used for office settings and long-form content, while texting is better for more non-office settings or urgent matters. However, texting and email both serve the same purpose: to promote communication between the sender and the recipient through messaging information.
Text vs Email: Does It Really Matter?
Beyond the differences, many people might question the similarities between email and text messages. Texts and emails are really only similar in the sense that they are text-based forms of communication that employees, managers, HR, and other workers use to relay information.
Is Email More Professional than Texting?
In short, no. Many team members and managers would say that email is the most professional way to communicate in an office setting with customers and others in the company. Because texting is less common in office settings, typically people consider it to be less professional. One reason emails are typically a primary way of communicating is they leave a “paper trail” of communication. If any issues were to arise, emails help businesses keep track of any ongoing discussions or issues.
However, professionalism in the workplace depends on the environment where employees are working. “Professionalism” as a term is situational in these cases. While desk employees typically have a company email address, non-desk employees might not have email access and, therefore, texting is the most appropriate form of employee communication. Texting can be professional when it is used properly, like communicating any policy updates, weather concerns, or workplace hazards. It all depends on the company, the texting solution used, the employee’s position, and the situation in which managers and HR are communicating with their employees.
So while email might be the go-to communication for office employees, texting doesn’t have to be unprofessional. In fact, software solutions like Yourco make texting your employees important information simple. It keeps a paper trail of texts in the interface, so you always have access to previous conversations. You’ll also be able to keep track of any issues and address them accordingly.
Some industries that could benefit from texting more than email include:
No matter what the job is, texting can be a great way to communicate with your team.
Why Texting Is Good for Communication Within Businesses
Because most individuals have their phones with them, texting is a quick and easy way to communicate. Texting is one of the best ways to communicate, because—to put it plainly—people read their texts. In fact, 98% of text messages are read within 15 minutes, according to one study. Additionally, a significant amount of texts are answered in as little as 90 seconds once they are received! Therefore, when you send a text message the likelihood that your message will be read and responded to is very high. Texting is especially useful when there is no time to waste or when an employee can’t be reached via email.
For businesses, texting can keep employees informed when they’re away from a desk or in the field. Not only are they likely to read texts quickly, but they can access them from almost anywhere—even without an internet connection. Appointment scheduling, emergency alerts, and reminders may all be managed by texting, which gives businesses an advantage in their communication with employees. Because of how simple and fast texting can be, it is an ideal way to contact employees while they’re working.
For example, if an employee is working at a construction site, texting them about potentially hazardous weather conditions helps keep them aware of the situation, so they can take precautions and stay safe. Or, if the warehouse has a hazardous chemical spill, a text message can let your employees know to stay away from the area until it is safe. In these cases, texting is ideal for communicating with employees.
Text Messages Advantages and Disadvantages
The advantages of text messaging in employee communication far outweigh the disadvantages, but let’s explore the reasons why:
Advantages of texting include:
- Near instant communication
- Higher visibility and open rate
- Big reach with group/mass texting
- Can be scheduled or automated
- Every cellphone has texting capabilities
- Cost-effective
- Only contact who is necessary
- Reliable
Disadvantages of texting include:
- Viewed as unprofessional in some instances
- Needs to be brief and conversational
- Group texts can be overwhelming
While it might be hard to discern tone and body language through texting in some instances, being able to communicate instantly with higher open rates and reliability are incredibly beneficial for businesses trying to reach their employees. Of course, in moments of urgency, texting is an advantageous technology. Using Yourco, you can text message your employees no matter where they are using a simple interface with all of your messages accessible in one place. Whether you need to inform your team of the next assignment or of extreme weather (and everything in between), you can rest assured that Yourco will be a helpful solution to reaching employees in an instant. Yourco also solves group text confusion by sending individual messages, even if they’re addressed to the whole team.
Why Is a Text Message Better than an Email?
Unlike email, text messages can reach your employees without an internet connection. They don’t even need to have a Cellular data plan to send and receive SMS! Combine that with the fact that the overall average open rate of emails is 35%— compared to 98% of text messages—and you’ll see why texting can be a more effective and efficient form of communication. Beyond that, many see email as the old-school professional way to reach employees and colleagues, but you can never be sure how long it will take the recipient to see the message. The time spent waiting is especially taxing if they’re away from their desk or without internet access. On the other hand, all phones have texting capabilities, which means employees can be reached no matter where they are.
Is Texting Professional Communication?
Despite the notion that texting is unprofessional in an office setting, it can actually be a great tool for managers and HR to communicate with their non-desk team.
It could be argued that, because texting is more efficient, it’s better to contact employees for anything that needs to be addressed quickly. When employees are in the field, it is almost certainly the best option.
Using a solution like Yourco gives you the ability to contact employees in bulk or individually, without creating a massive group chat where important information gets lost. With texting capabilities all in one easy-to-use dashboard, businesses can reach their employees using software rather than an actual phone. This means it’s easier to keep track of conversations and reach employees more effectively.
When Is Email Appropriate for Communication?
In business, email is typically reserved for office communications that range from everyday discussions about projects to sharing information regarding the business—like contracts, presentations, or files.
Why Would Someone Email Instead of Text?
If you’re wondering, “Why would someone send an email instead of calling or texting?,” it might not surprise you that email is still the primary method of employee communication, particularly in office settings. Emailing can be a helpful tool to reach your team with thorough instructions, changes, or other communication that is mainly used for office workers. Beyond using it as a means of standard communication, many people utilize email as a tool to send large file attachments, images, and links.
However, texting using software solutions like Yourco can send files and messages as well, which means easy access to information without needing a company email or a dedicated app. Using Yourco is especially helpful for non-desk employees without an internet connection while in the field, out in the warehouse, or on the plant floor. It’s possible to send links to files for employees to open later, so email doesn’t have to be a part of the equation.
For example, suppose there is a change in a policy that requires an attachment outlining the differences and new content. In that case, both texting or an email is appropriate to explain why changes are taking place, as well as sharing the document. But choosing texting as the primary means of professional communication means greater accessibility for all employees and not just those at a desk. Texting through Yourco means you have operational texting capabilities, as well as:
- Company Announcements
- Benefits Communication
- Employee Alerts
- Employee Surveys
- Onboarding Employees
- Employee Referrals
- Call-Off Line (Text-Off Line)
While offices will continue to use email, texting is a great way to keep all employees up to date without losing important information in an overflowing inbox.
Reach Your Employees Anywhere with Yourco
If you’d like to contact your non-desk employees when they’re in the warehouse, on the plant floor, or out in the field, all you need is Yourco. We eliminate the hassle of texting your employees with an easy-to-use software solution. Find all of your company text messages in one place, and don’t worry about cluttered group texts. You can send out mass messages to your team while keeping each discussion separated. Don’t send an email and hope it reaches them; send out a text and get a hold of them immediately. Whether it’s urgent information or a brief update, using Yourco to text your employees is the best way to communicate. To try Yourco, contact us to set up a demo, or try it out for free today!
