Netiquette on the Internet

http://www.noslang.com/im.php

Colleges

all

over

America are blocking standard

Instant

Messaging ports, yet strangely more and more businesses are encouraging employees to use IM. Especially in large offices, IM is much quicker than using the telephone or sending email.

While many companies have been quick to embrace the IM technology, they've been reluctant to integrate any set policies for its use; and this can turn out badly for the employee who over uses IM. Here is a straightforward guide to using IM in the workplace: 

Don't overdo it. A lot of employees tend to overuse IM, and waste valuable hours talking to friends and family. Chats with employees should be short and professional ("here's that website link", or "can we meet over lunch to discuss this proposal?").



Use your away message. If you're working, use your away or status message (or at the very least your profile) to let people know you're busy, then just glance at it to see if a coworker is trying to talk to you.



Don't talk about confidential information. IM isn't secure, so you shouldn't be using it to discuss company secrets.



Make sure you stick to company policy. Ask your supervisor if you can install an IM client like AIM, MSN, Yahoo, or ICQ. While some companies understand the huge benefits of using IM at work others severely frown upon its use as a waste of time, so make sure you find out which category your company belongs to.



Don't use slang. You won't impress the boss by using "lol" instead of a period (.) after every sentence; supervisors just aren't impressed by IM slang.

Mark what is true [T] or false [F] according to the text (correct when it’s false): 1. Some companies are in favor of using IM at work, while others are against. [ ] ____________________________________________________________________ 2. The number of companies encouraging their employees to use IM at work is increasing [ ] ____________________________________________________________________ 3. The excessive use of IM at work is a waste of time. [ ] ____________________________________________________________________ 4. If you are working you should set your status as “busy”. [ ] ____________________________________________________________________ 5. You should use IM according to your company’s policy. [ ] ____________________________________________________________________ 6. The companies that allow IM use at work are reluctant to adopt a policy for its use. [ ] ____________________________________________________________________ 7. Slang is highly recommendable to avoid wasting time at work. [ ] ____________________________________________________________________

Personal Questions: 1. What’s your favorite IM software? ________________________________ 2. How often do you use IM? ________________________________ 3. What kind of people do you communicate with by means of IM (friends, family, coworkers, etc.)?

Answer the questions about the text: 1. What are American colleges doing? What about the business companies? ______________________________________ 2. Why do you think the companies allow IM while the colleges are blocking them? ______________________________________ 3. What are the advantages of using IM for communication with other employees and clients? ______________________________________ 4. What are the disadvantages? ______________________________________ 5. What will happen if you overuse IM while

________________________________ 4. Do you think IM is a secure way of communication? Why (not)? ________________________________ 5. Do you think IM makes you waste your time? How? ________________________________ 6. Do you think the increased us of IM is making people less used to face-to-face communication? Why do you think so? ________________________________ ________________________________

working? ______________________________________ 6. Why shouldn’t confidential information be discussed using IM? ______________________________________ Explain why some companies adopted Complete with the suitable question tag:

IM at work and summarize the basic

1. A lot of employees tend to overuse IM,

rules of the netiquette:

________________?

_______________________________

2. IM is much quicker than using the telephone or

_______________________________

sending email, ______________________?

_______________________________

3. Chats with employees should be short and

_______________________________

professional, _______________________?

_______________________________

4. IM isn't secure, ____________________?

_______________________________

5. You shouldn't be using it to discuss company

_______________________________

secrets, ____________________?

_______________________________

6. They've been reluctant to integrate any set

_______________________________

policies

_______________________________

for

its

use,

__________________________?

_______________________________

7. You won't impress the boss by using "lol" instead

_______________________________

of

_______________________________

a

period

(.)

after

every

sentence,

________________?

_______________________________

8. Some companies understand the huge benefits of

_______________________________

using IM at work, ______________________?

_______________________________ __

1. Some companies are in favor of the use of IM

Complete with the suitable question tag:

at work; others are against its use. [ T ]

1. A lot of employees tend to overuse IM, DON’T

2. The number of companies encouraging their employees to use IM at work is increases more and more. [ T ] 3. The excessive use of IM at work is a waste of time. [ T ] 4. If you are working you should set your status as “busy”. [ T ]

THEY? 2. IM is much quicker than using the telephone or sending email, ISN’T IT? 3. Chats with employees should

be short and

professional, SHOULDN’T THEY? 4. IM isn't secure, IS IT? 5. You shouldn't be using it to discuss company secrets, SHOULD YOU?

5. You should use IM according to your company’s

6. They've been reluctant to integrate any set policies

policy. [ T]

for its use, HAVEN’T THEY?

6. The companies that allow IM use at work are

7. You won't impress the boss by using "lol" instead of

reluctant to adopt a policy for its use. [ F ] SOME COMPANIES ARE RELUCTANT; OTHER HAVE A POLICY. 7. Slang is highly recommendable to avoid waste of time at work. [ F ] YOU SHOULD AVOID SLANG AT WORK.

Answer the questions about the text: 1. What are colleges doing? What about business companies?

WHILE COLLEGES ARE BLOCKING IM, MORE AND MORE COMPANIES ARE ADOPTING IT AT WORK. 2. Why do you think companies allow IM while colleges are blocking them?

(PERSONAL ANSWER) 3. What are the advantages of using IM for communication with other employees and clients?

IM

IS

QUICKER

THAN

PHONE

CALLS

OR

SENDING EMAILS. 4. What are the disadvantages?

PEOPLE TEND TO OVERUSE IT AND WASTE TIME AT WORK. 5. What will happen if you overuse IM while working?

YOU WILL WASTE TIME. 6.

Why

shouldn’t

confidential

discussed using IM? BECAUSE IM ISN’T SECURE.

information

be

a period (.) after every sentence, WILL YOU? 8. Some companies understand the huge benefits of using IM at work, DON’T THEY?