Menlo Park, Calif. — May 7
Technology is one of the most effective ways to bring people together at work, but it may also be causing a digital divide, a new Robert Half Technology survey of chief information officers suggests.
Sixty-four percent of CIOs said higher use of mobile gadgets such as cellphones and tablets have led to more breaches in workplace etiquette during the last three years. That’s up from 51 percent who said the same thing in a similar survey three years ago.
The survey is based on more than 2,300 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies in 23 major metro areas with 100 or more employees.
Robert Half Technology suggests avoiding these four things to remain in the good graces of your colleagues and manager:
Surfing while talking: Checking your email while someone is trying to have a one-on-one conversation with you is impolite. You’ll come off looking distracted and disrespectful.
Leaving long voice messages: For most communications, you should get to the point quickly. Aim for a voice mail that’s no longer than 30 seconds unless it’s a delicate or complicated issue.
Using the wrong form of communication: Can you send a text or IM instead of calling? Along the same lines, email is better than instant message when an immediate response isn’t required. Of course, if you need to have a difficult conversation with someone, picking up the phone or talking in person is best.
Taking multitasking to the extreme: While it is generally acceptable to bring laptops and smartphones to meetings, you still must be an active and attentive participant. Rein in the urge to surf the Web, update your Facebook status or check your email every minute. Also set your smartphone to vibrate or turn it off completely.
Source: Robert Half Technology
