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Instant messaging is gaining traction in the business world
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More from LifestyleATLANTA — When John Fairey wants to chat with a colleague, but has no time to wait for an e-mail answer or get up for a face-to-face talk, he clicks on the buddy list on his computer screen and pecks out an instant message. And he almost always gets an instant answer.
"It is significantly more efficient," said the 28-year-old equity researcher for Atlanta-based Pointer Capital. "It saves time."
Researchers say his company is on the cutting edge of a growing trend by providing software that allows workers to "talk" with each other on a "real time" basis, right from their desks.
Such software benefits employers by decreasing interruptions of workers, increasing productivity, according to a new study by professors Kelly Garrett of Ohio State and James Danziger of UC Irvine.
Their study found that using instant messaging led to more but shorter conversations on computers, Danziger said.
— Cox News Service
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