Since interactivity is a key to teamwork, a chat environment is a great team-focused communication platform. Short team messages can be communications such as status updates, meeting requests, notes of appreciation, or a invitations to a meet-up after work. Giving the team a way to respond as a group can be important in order to get everyone’s ideas and opinions in the same message thread. Figure 1 shows three team members commenting on the status of a PDF.

Figure 1. Chat between three collaborating team members

A short team-focused message can also be in the form of an email, especially for quick file attachment sharing to multiple team members.

Team-focused communication is a great vehicle to keep team members informed, ensure projects are moving, and ultimately achieve strong results. Given all of the technology available in the workplace today, it is even easier than ever to create and send messages to your colleagues. One caveat: be aware and considerate of your teammates’ personal space. If you send an email, don’t text or IM right away to ask if they received your message. Don’t bother your colleagues after hours or on weekends unless you have mutually agreed to do so.