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Another example: I've noticed older folks (45-50+) repeatedly say "stop sending emails/texts/Slacks, pick up the phone and call them". Meanwhile, everyone und

Another example: I've noticed older folks (45-50+) repeatedly say "stop sending emails/texts/Slacks, pick up the phone and call them". Meanwhile, everyone under that age (and to be fair, a decent number even in that age group) considers an unexpected phone call to be rude and disruptive.

rqtwteye 3y ago
I am 50+. I call people often and encourage people to call me without the typical hours long build up per chat "Hi", "Hi", "How are you?", "Good", "I have a question", "OK", "Can I call you?", "Yes", "Now?", Yes" and so on. I think remote work loses a lot of agility if you communicate only through chat.
- kaoD 3y ago
  Seems like you (and/or your interlocutors) are using chat like it was a phone call and concluding a phone call is better to have phone calls.
- NegativeK 3y ago
  I dislike phone calls, but handle them in two ways: If a chat conversation isn't getting a point across after a couple of back and forths (five minutes is too long,) then it's time for a phone call. Discussions in chat are fine. Flat out lack of understanding is best fixed when they can hear and interrupt for clarification. If I do need to call someone, I simply message them and ask if they're available for a call. There's no need for preamble.
- flappyeagle 3y ago
  That’s some boomer slack usage. If anyone sends a message with “hi” they get a stern bollocking by me immediately. Our company handbook specifically forbids doing this.
  - rpmisms 3y ago
    Can you say "Hi, I need XYZ"? Or are pleasantries forbidden?
    - SAI_Peregrinus 3y ago
      That's usually not an issue. It's the empty "Hi." and then indefinite silence that's an issue. You wouldn't send a letter with just the salutation, you'd include the message! Why treat a Slack message like it's a phone call instead of like a (short, rapidly delivered) letter?
      - rpmisms 3y ago
        Agreed, just wanted clarification!
  - rqtwteye 3y ago
    The boomers actually get to the point quickly. The young guys are the ones that send ten messages before getting to the point.
    - helij 3y ago
      This. All most of 20-30 that I interact with are. Hi, how are you doing today? And then pause. Boomers just go straight to the point. I'm also huge proponent of https://nohello.net/en/ https://nohello.net/en/ in the workplace and elsewhere.
- potta_coffee 3y ago
  You can call but I might be taking a dump or something. If you chat, I'll answer within a couple of minutes. Seems more efficient to me.
- krisoft 3y ago
  That feels like more of a problem with the communication than the medium of it? Or rather to say there is a mismatch between the communication method and the way it is being used. On async channels it is recommended to get to the point quickly. Sure send pleasantries, but no need to wait until they are answered. You can immediately also get to your point. Instead of sending "hello" and then waiting you would be sending "Hello. I hope you are having a good day. It seems that the turbo encabulator is complaining a vapour lock in the secondary log file. Have you seen that before?" The https://nohello.net/en/ https://nohello.net/en/ site describes this communication style better.
- bluefirebrand 3y ago
  I am a strong believer in "nohello" https://nohello.net/en/ https://nohello.net/en/ If you use chat like it's a conversation then you'll have a bad time. If you use it like it's business communication like short-form email it's better. It's bizarre that the same people who will send an email that says "Hey, send me this information asap" will start a text chat with "hey how's it going" People who say hello and then wait for a reply will wait a long, long time for a reply from me.
- DebtDeflation 3y ago
  People starting chats with "Hi".....5 minute wait......"You there?" is an entirely separate problem not related to what we're discussing here.
AdrianB1 3y ago
Yesterday I had to tell a couple of people in our extended team meeting: "guys, stop arguing via email over several days with 10 more people in copy, pick up the phone and clarify the problem in 10 minutes". This is not a sign that I am over 40 (I am), but I know a bit better what are the most efficient ways to communicate in different circumstances. The people in that argument were located on 2 different continents 7 hours apart, that would be a non-issue if they were in on the same floor in the same building. This is not an argument for working in the office, just to adjust to the environment.
- ghaff 3y ago
  That is a bit different though. That's not calling someone out of the blue. It's setting up an impromptu call after chat/email isn't doing the job, which I have done many times.

rqtwteye 3y ago

I am 50+. I call people often and encourage people to call me without the typical hours long build up per chat "Hi", "Hi", "How are you?", "Good", "I have a question", "OK", "Can I call you?", "Yes", "Now?", Yes" and so on. I think remote work loses a lot of agility if you communicate only through chat.

kaoD 3y ago
Seems like you (and/or your interlocutors) are using chat like it was a phone call and concluding a phone call is better to have phone calls.
NegativeK 3y ago
I dislike phone calls, but handle them in two ways: If a chat conversation isn't getting a point across after a couple of back and forths (five minutes is too long,) then it's time for a phone call. Discussions in chat are fine. Flat out lack of understanding is best fixed when they can hear and interrupt for clarification. If I do need to call someone, I simply message them and ask if they're available for a call. There's no need for preamble.
flappyeagle 3y ago
That’s some boomer slack usage. If anyone sends a message with “hi” they get a stern bollocking by me immediately. Our company handbook specifically forbids doing this.
- rpmisms 3y ago
  Can you say "Hi, I need XYZ"? Or are pleasantries forbidden?
  - SAI_Peregrinus 3y ago
    That's usually not an issue. It's the empty "Hi." and then indefinite silence that's an issue. You wouldn't send a letter with just the salutation, you'd include the message! Why treat a Slack message like it's a phone call instead of like a (short, rapidly delivered) letter?
    - rpmisms 3y ago
      Agreed, just wanted clarification!
- rqtwteye 3y ago
  The boomers actually get to the point quickly. The young guys are the ones that send ten messages before getting to the point.
  - helij 3y ago
    This. All most of 20-30 that I interact with are. Hi, how are you doing today? And then pause. Boomers just go straight to the point. I'm also huge proponent of https://nohello.net/en/ https://nohello.net/en/ in the workplace and elsewhere.
potta_coffee 3y ago
You can call but I might be taking a dump or something. If you chat, I'll answer within a couple of minutes. Seems more efficient to me.
krisoft 3y ago
That feels like more of a problem with the communication than the medium of it? Or rather to say there is a mismatch between the communication method and the way it is being used. On async channels it is recommended to get to the point quickly. Sure send pleasantries, but no need to wait until they are answered. You can immediately also get to your point. Instead of sending "hello" and then waiting you would be sending "Hello. I hope you are having a good day. It seems that the turbo encabulator is complaining a vapour lock in the secondary log file. Have you seen that before?" The https://nohello.net/en/ https://nohello.net/en/ site describes this communication style better.
bluefirebrand 3y ago
I am a strong believer in "nohello" https://nohello.net/en/ https://nohello.net/en/ If you use chat like it's a conversation then you'll have a bad time. If you use it like it's business communication like short-form email it's better. It's bizarre that the same people who will send an email that says "Hey, send me this information asap" will start a text chat with "hey how's it going" People who say hello and then wait for a reply will wait a long, long time for a reply from me.
DebtDeflation 3y ago
People starting chats with "Hi".....5 minute wait......"You there?" is an entirely separate problem not related to what we're discussing here.

AdrianB1 3y ago

Yesterday I had to tell a couple of people in our extended team meeting: "guys, stop arguing via email over several days with 10 more people in copy, pick up the phone and clarify the problem in 10 minutes". This is not a sign that I am over 40 (I am), but I know a bit better what are the most efficient ways to communicate in different circumstances. The people in that argument were located on 2 different continents 7 hours apart, that would be a non-issue if they were in on the same floor in the same building. This is not an argument for working in the office, just to adjust to the environment.

ghaff 3y ago
That is a bit different though. That's not calling someone out of the blue. It's setting up an impromptu call after chat/email isn't doing the job, which I have done many times.