Half of the people responding to the survey on Instant Messaging indicate that it is beneficial for communicating with colleagues and obtaining quick answers for making business decisions. Almost as many respondents are using IM to maintain contact with friends and family while at work. Is it a substantial improvement to productivity or an opportunity to facilitate personal communication? 38% of the respondents think that it has improved productivity at work, while 83% of parents claim that it is beneficial to communication.



The wave of IM as a common means of communication is rapidly approaching as adopted by each younger generation. Today it is still used as a means of individual expression, communication and personal contact. IM is used to coordinate meetings and conference calls nearly as often as it is used to exchange files, but not as often as it is used to maintain contact with people that we may not otherwise communicate with regularly. As the percentage of the population using IM at work and home continues to increase, and as technology continues to introduce new features like video and VOIP in conjunction with IM, we can expect to see this tools as a ubiquitous means of real time entertainment, expression and interaction. With substantial gains in the areas of quantity and quality of communication and content, businesses will be challenged to embrace the technology and leverage it, or become bystanders as each successive generation carries instant access in their pocket.

Top Reasons to Use IM at Work

58% use IM to communicate quickly with colleagues

49% use IM to get answers and make business decisions

43% use IM to communicate with friends and family

38% say that it makes them more productive at work

28% use IM to interact with clients and customers

25% use IM to exchange files

22% use IM to organize meetings

19% use a chat feature for work related conferences

15% use IM to organize conference calls

13% of respondents actually print their IM screen name on business cards

11% say that IM has improved performance enough to leave the office earlier

The State of IM in Mainstream Communication

83% of working parents say that IM is a benefit

70% with Internet access are using IM

43% say IM helps stay in touch with people that they would not regularly contact otherwise

38% of IM users send more IM messages than email

33% of IM users are using mobile IMs or SMS text messages from cell phone or PDA

26% of employed IM users are using IM at work

12% would like to use IM based VOIP services to replace household phone lines

The Trend in Cell Phone IM and Text Messaging

In 2003 10% of respondents used IM or Text Messaging by Cell Phone to communicate

In 2004 19% of respondents used IM or Text Messaging by Cell Phone to communicate

In 2007 33% of respondents used IM or Text Messaging by Cell Phone to communicate

IM Users by Age

99% of respondents age 13 to 21 use IM

80% of respondents age 22 to 34 use IM

65% of respondents age 35 to 54 use IM

49% of respondents over age 55 use IM

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Words of Wisdom

"For the first time in history, technologies allow us to gain the economic benefits of large organizations, like economies of scale and knowledge, without giving up the human benefit of small ones, such as freedom, creativity, motivation and flexibility."

- Thomas W. Malone, professor at the Sloan School of Management, MIT

"History is a company's worst enemy. To think about the future, you must abandon tradition and convention. . . . My advice: Understand that there are no guarantees, make a bet on one possible future, and then throw everything you have into it."

- Robert Baldock, president of EDS Continental Europe

"If you think that you are too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room."

- Dame Anita Roddick, founder, The Body Shop

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John Mehrmann is a freelance author and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital.