Many workplaces use WhatsApp now as a tool for quick and easy communication. And whilst there can be many benefits to using WhatsApp instant messaging to improve communication in the workplace, there can also be several drawbacks.
In this article, we’ll be asking ‘is WhatsApp a good tool for the workplace?’. Or should it be resigned to that basket of great ideas that turned out to not be so great?
What Is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is an instant messaging platform owned by Meta, the company that also owns Facebook and Instagram. Whilst WhatsApp is considered a social media platform, it differs from others in that messages sent via it are not public and can only be viewed by the recipients, either singular or plural.
In fact, WhatsApp is unique amongst messaging platforms because of its end-to-end encryption software, which means only the sender and recipient(s) of the message can read its content. Not even Meta is able to read messages sent via WhatsApp.
There is no doubt that WhatsApp can be a useful workplace tool and, in the modern world of instant communication, it has almost become as ubiquitous as email in some workplaces. However, whilst there are some benefits to using this app, there are also some drawbacks, which employers must consider.
What Are The Benefits Of Using WhatsApp In The Workplace?
There’s no doubt that WhatsApp has brought many benefits to the workplace and many workers find it a great platform for improving communication, streamlining collaboration and increasing productivity.
Here are four of the main benefits of using WhatsApp in a workplace setting.
- Ease Of Communication
WhatsApp is a phenomenally quick and easy platform to use, with a number of features that are designed to ensure it is quicker and easier to use than other messaging tools. Messages are delivered instantly with little to no delay and the two-tick system allows the sender to see whether the message has been received and read.
Not only can WhatsApp transfer text messages instantly, but images, videos and documents can also be sent with the same speed. Additional features, such as polls, allow opinions to be quickly gauged and meetings arranged.
Particularly for members of your team that work remotely or across multiple sites, the ease of communication allowed by WhatsApp is making communication in your small business easier than it ever has been.
- Accessibility
Because WhatsApp is installed on your mobile phone, it’s a tool accessible to everyone. For members of your team that might be doing lone working (for e.g. estate agents or site inspectors), working ‘on the go’ (for e.g. social workers or carers), or working in remote areas with little access to Wi-Fi (for e.g. park wardens or vets), WhatsApp can be a much easier platform to access than email or other, more traditional communication platforms.
This is particularly useful for employees that work abroad or in remote areas, as no laptop is required and the app will work via mobile data. This is one of the reasons the app is so popular in countries such as India, as it doesn’t require the same access to complex infrastructure or expensive equipment as other communication tools.
What’s more, thanks to features such as live location sharing, the app can be a safeguarding tool for lone workers who need to be able to share their location quickly and accurately with their team.
- Group Chats For Teams
One of the features that ensured WhatsApp gained a prominent position was the ability to set up recipient groups. WhatsApp was one of the first platforms to enable messages to be sent simultaneously to more than one person and to allow true group discussions to take place in one feed.
That’s why, for teams that are working remotely or across multiple departments or buildings, WhatsApp is still one of the quickest and easiest methods of collaboration. This not only ensures that information and ideas are shared seamlessly, but also encourages a sense of camaraderie, improves team dynamics and boosts morale.
- Speedy Decision Making
Sometimes in business, decisions need to be made fast and this is where WhatsApp can particularly shine. Unlike emails or face-to-face meetings, which can take days to arrange or yield results, decisions on WhatsApp can be made quickly amongst multiple members of your team. In minutes, everyone can be consulted, you can ensure all members have received and read the message, and decisions can be reached. You can even create a poll to get a short answer in a short amount of time.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Using WhatsApp In The Workplace?
Unfortunately, whilst there are undoubtedly advantages to using WhatsApp in the workplace, there are – perhaps inevitably – disadvantages too. Here are some of the drawbacks to using WhatsApp that you should consider.
- Data Security And Privacy
As we’ve already mentioned, one of WhatsApp’s most famous features is its end-to-end encryption. Whilst this may be reassuring to some, issues may also arise concerning the storage of data and the protection of sensitive workplace information.
Depending on the settings of the phone, documents sent via WhatsApp can be automatically downloaded to the recipient’s device and stored locally rather than in the cloud. Whilst information might be end-to-end encrypted whilst it is within WhatsApp, it is not encrypted when simply stored in a phone’s gallery. In short, images or documents not secured appropriately behind a password or fingerprint-protected phone could be vulnerable to exposure. Even those devices that are password protected could be exposed if, for example, a spouse or child of your employee were able to access their mobile device on which your sensitive company data is located.
Naturally, this is of concern to all businesses, who are all bound by the same UK data privacy laws and GDPR etc. However, in some professions where data security is of particular importance, such as the healthcare or legal services sectors, using WhatsApp for work-related conversations may not comply with industry regulations and may leave your company open to costly and dangerous data leaks.
Furthermore, the use of communication tools such as WhatsApp, particularly on personal (I.e. not company-provided) mobile devices might also lead to further confusion over who is able to access that data and when. You, as the employer, have a right to access your employee’s personal devices if you believe company information is stored on it, but this in itself could lead to awkward disputes over privacy.
Hence, it’s wise to have a policy in place that protects your business, should your employees be using WhatsApp to share company information or discuss work matters.
- Lack Of Formality And Documentation
Following on from the above issue of data privacy, WhatsApp may also present issues around the documentation of discussions. Unlike more official communication channels, such as email, which allow a clear paper trail to be recorded, WhatsApp conversations tend to be more informal and may not provide a transparent record of discussions. This can prove particularly challenging in situations where a dispute needs to be resolved or an allegation needs to be addressed, as it can be difficult to access and record the conversations that took place or the information that was shared.
Here, it is crucial that the correct policies are in place to ensure any sensitive information or important conversations are had over a more formal platform, to protect both you and the employee. As the employer, you should ensure all your staff are trained appropriately, and safeguard checks should occur regularly to make sure bad habits are not being formed.
- Work-Life Balance
One of the major drawbacks of instant messaging tools is that they are training us to believe that, just because we CAN be contacted instantly at all times of the day and night, and because we CAN respond immediately, we also SHOULD. The psychological tools employed by WhatsApp, such as the ‘two ticks’ to denote the message has been read and the ‘scrolling dots’ to denote a reply is being composed, heighten this feeling that messages should be replied to as quickly as possible.
However, these very tools are contributing to a feeling amongst workers – both employers and employees – that the boundaries between working hours and time off are now being blurred. Presenteeism can lead workers to feel like their work life is encroaching on their home life and this can impact people’s mental health, changing how they view themselves, the job and the company culture.
In fact, this has become such a serious issue that the Labour Party has recently announced plans to introduce a ‘right to switch off’ bill into their manifesto (announcement made in May 2023).
As a responsible employer, it is wise to be mindful of when you are contacting your employees and vice versa. If you can, enforce restrictions on when business communications over WhatsApp should occur and be strict about discouraging out-of-hours communication.
- Potential For Miscommunication
As with any written form of communication, the potential for miscommunication on WhatsApp is extraordinary. Face-to-face verbal communication in a business setting can often be tricky enough but, when business communication is written down, the lack of context can often lead to misunderstandings and upset.
Because of its very instant nature, WhatsApp can be particularly vulnerable to this, as arguments can quickly explode when people have little time to mull over their responses and receive no facial or tonal cues to temper their anger or distress. Before you know it, members of your team might have lost hours of productive working time arguing over WhatsApp, and this can lead to festering resentments that then become very difficult to resolve.
As an employer, it may be almost impossible to avoid situations like this entirely, but the determining factor will be how you deal with it. If you are aware of misunderstandings, arguments or resentments occurring on WhatsApp, get those team members involved together (either virtually or physically, but face-to-face) as quickly as possible, and sort the issue out in person rather than via a text medium.
What Are The Ramifications Of WhatsApp For HR And Employment Law?
At present, whilst there are no specific HR laws in the UK around WhatsApp, there have been several key cases in which its use has come into question. Most of these have revolved around messages being mistakenly sent to the wrong people (which is a data breach) or employers demanding to access personal phones with company data stored on them.
As such, as a forward-thinking employer wanting to futureproof your business, it’s vital you incorporate the use of WhatsApp by your employees into your HR policies and company procedures.
If you would like advice on how to do this, from experienced HR professionals, then contact the team at Metis HR today. Whilst WhatsApp and the pitfalls of using it in a workplace setting might be a relatively new phenomenon, the Metis team has already dealt with several cases involving the instant messaging app, so we’re perfectly placed to offer you the best advice to protect your business.
You can get in touch by using the contact form on the website, emailing us on info@metishr.co.uk, or phoning 01706 565 332.
