Chat Messages at Work: Teams, Slack and WhatsApp Etiquette

Workplace English: Emails, Calls, Meetings and Customers · Emails and Messages · 5 min read · Updated October 28, 2026

Choose the right channel

Think about what you need to say and who will read it.
Use chat for quick questions and short updates. Put the question in the first message.
Use email for formal messages, longer explanations and anything that needs a record.
Use a call when it is complicated, emotional or urgent, or when messages go back and forth too many times.

Many workplaces now use chat tools: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat and WhatsApp groups. Chat is fast and informal, but there are still rules. A badly written chat message can be confusing, rude or lost. This lesson shows you how to write short, clear messages, and how to behave in group chats so that you look professional.

Chat, email or call?

Chat for quick questions, short updates and friendly contact, when a fast answer is useful.
Email for formal messages, longer explanations, anything that needs a record, and messages to people outside your company.
Phone or video call when the matter is complicated, emotional or urgent, or when messages are going back and forth many times.
In person for sensitive matters such as serious feedback or a personal problem.

If you are not sure, think about what the other person would prefer. If a reply to a chat message will take a long explanation, a short call may be quicker than 20 messages.

Write a clear chat message

Do not send just Hi and wait. This forces the other person to reply Hi and wait for the question, wasting time. Put the question in the first message.

Weak:   Hi
        (waiting...)

Better: Hi Priya, do you have the latest sales sheet? I need it for
        the 3 pm meeting.

Weak:   Can you check?
Better: Could you check the invoice for Mr Khan? The total looks wrong
        (5,000 instead of 1,500).

Start with a short greeting and the person's name.
Give the context, the question and the deadline in one message if you can.
Use short sentences and one topic per message.
Use a list or separate lines for several points.
Mention people with @ when you need them to act, and do not mention everyone unless it is really necessary.

Replies

Thanks, got it.
Sure, I will send it in 10 minutes.
I will check and get back to you by 4 pm.
Sorry, I am in a meeting. Can I reply after 3?
Good question. I am not sure. I will ask Dan.

Reply even with a quick acknowledgement. A thumbs-up or a short Thanks lets the sender know that you saw it. If you cannot help, say so and suggest someone else.

Tone in chat

Without a voice or face, short messages can sound cold or angry. Add small friendly words (Thanks, please, no problem) and read your message before sending.

Sounds cold:   Send it.
Friendlier:    Could you send it when you can? Thanks!

Sounds cold:   No.
Friendlier:    Sorry, I cannot do that today. Can we do it tomorrow?

Emojis are common in some workplaces and not in others. A smile or a thumbs-up is usually fine with colleagues you know. Avoid them in messages to customers or senior people you do not know, unless they use them first. Do not use many, and avoid ones that can have other meanings. CAPITAL LETTERS look like shouting. Avoid them.

Group chats and WhatsApp

Check who is in the group before you write. Do not post anything private or critical about a person in a group.
Stay on topic. Do not share jokes, forwards, religious or political messages in a work group, unless the group is meant for that.
Do not send many short messages. Put your point in one.
Respect time. Avoid messages late at night or on days off, unless it is urgent or the team has agreed to it. Many people mute notifications after work.
Use voice messages carefully. They are hard to search and slower to listen to. Ask before sending a long one.
Keep personal and company data safe. Do not share passwords, customers' private details or confidential files in a personal chat app, unless the company allows it.
Do not forward private messages without permission.

Time zones and availability

When you work with people in other countries, a good time for you may be the middle of the night for them. Check the other person's time before you expect a reply. Write times clearly with the zone: 3 pm IST, 10:30 GMT, 9:30 am EAT (East Africa Time). Set your status (available, busy, away), and tell your team when you are on leave.

Chat and the record

Chat messages can be saved and read later, and they may be seen by managers or lawyers. Be as careful as in email. Do not write angry messages or comments you would not say in person. If something important is decided in chat, send a short email to confirm it.

Typing quickly but carefully

Use a spelling checker, and read the message once.
Do not use texting short forms such as u, r, pls, thx and gr8 with customers or senior people. Common abbreviations like FYI (for your information), ASAP (as soon as possible), EOD (end of day) and BRB (be right back) are used, but not everyone knows them, so write them out for new colleagues and customers.
Check the names. A message that goes to the wrong person can cause trouble.

Your task

Rewrite these chat messages to be clear and polite: Hi / Send file / Why no reply? / Call me now.
Write a chat message to a colleague in another time zone asking for a document, with the deadline in their time.
List three things you will not post in your team's group chat.

How to check it worked

Your messages contain the question or request in the first message.
Your deadlines include the time zone.
You know when to move from chat to a call.

Frequently asked questions

Is it okay to use emojis in work chat?

It depends on the workplace. A smile or thumbs-up is usually fine with colleagues you know. Avoid emojis with customers or senior people unless they use them first, and do not use many.

Should I message colleagues after work hours?

Avoid it unless it is urgent or your team has agreed to it. Many people mute notifications after work. Schedule non-urgent messages or send them in the morning.