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Instant Messaging Improves Workplace Productivity, Study Shows

by Warren Riddle on April 11, 2009 at 02:17 PM



The glut of recent incidents involving employees jeopardizing their jobs due to social networking mishaps may be enough to convince people to keep their online social activities separate from their work activities. Recent research, though, suggests that workers may be better served if they use social networking and instant messaging to remain in close contact with one another.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and IBM investigated the online activities (including e-mail, social networking, and instant messaging) of 2,600 anonymous IBM employees. From the research, they concluded that those who remain in close contact with their superiors generate, on average, over $600 more revenue a month than those who perform their work without frequently checking in with higher-ups. The report stated that the employees "would be rendered less effective without a clear direction."

So, people who aren't supervised typically accomplish less than those who are? Did someone really need to spend money to conduct this survey? Update: Water is wet. [From: IBM via Ars Technica]

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Tags: IM, instant messaging, InstantMessaging, productivity, top, work, workplace

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