Do you struggle of the non-stop messages on your team’s WhatsApp group? Or you find out of no where a flood of client’s messages and tasks after your working hours. The instant messaging app is being increasingly used to communicate with clients and bosses. This made many experts advocate on the harmful consequances about this whether socially or psychologically. Statistically, Working more than 10 hours a day comes with a 60 percent jump in risk of cardiovascular issues.
In addition, a 10 percent of those working 50 to 60 hours report relationship problems and the rate might increase to 30 percent for those working more than 60 hours, based on Inc’s previous research.
Aren’t You A Team Player?
In many cases, people, specially in the upper managment, link the concept of being a team player who’s keen on the work- task effeciency with the idea of being available all day long. Guess what? That’s not the real definition of a team player.
A team player is someone who cares more about helping a group or team to succeed than about his or her individual success. This comes with no direct or indirect relation with the amout of time spent working after you official hours.
“The problem with this tool is that it’s in all our cellphones and we don’t know if the new message alert is from a friend or work-related. And when you see it’s from work, it throws you off balance,” said Eva Rimbau, an expert on remote work at Catalonia’s Open University (UOC).
So how can this complex equation be solved? To put boundaries around your private life without complicating your work relations?
A WhatsApp Protocol?
Yes, as you have read! We think that’s the right solution to end up the struggle of employees around the world. Some employees called for applying a protocol and system when it comes for the usage of WhatsApp for work. But, what might the provisions of this protocol be?
Here are some of the suggested provisions:
- Being online is not an obligation to answer any work-related WhatsApp groups as soon as it’s after your official working hours.
- Even within your working hours, try not to spam your collages with multiple message that might distract them and cause the loss of some topics amid those messages.
- Have a WhatsApp business account for work usage. Your private number and chats should be isolated from any client messages or tasks.
- Never send any reports on WhatsApp. Whether from a professional side or for the employees personal sake, always use official emails for any deliveries.
- As a result, be are aware that the messages sent or received on WhatsApp can be used as evidence in the organisation’s formal processes.
