02/03/2016, 13:40Is internet speak hijacking our business language?

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Is internet speak hijacking ourbusiness language?2 Mar 2016

Here, Gavin Hammar discusseshow modern ways ofcommunicating have affectedthe world of business, and howyou can adapt.

People are becoming less concerned with grammar, spelling and sentence structure, andmore about getting their message across. This results in efficient, more streamlinedcommunication; however, it has impacted on our use of the English (and indeed other)languages. To get a message across using Twitter for example, it must be concise andmust conform to the tone used there, which includes abbreviations, acronyms andemoticons. Unfortunately the lines between internet communication and businesscommunication are being blurred, with millennials finding it difficult to switch between thetwo styles and identifying which one is appropriate and when.

Mobile devices: conveniences or mistakes waiting tohappen?With mobile taking an ever-increasing role as the place we consume our content andhandle our social postings, it is only natural that they are influenced by it and respond inthe same way. Reading short bursts of poorly-constructed content from a young ageimpacts on the learning experience and filters into our everyday lives. To get a messageacross in 140 characters or less, who has time to worry about the English language? Tocommunicate in the Twitter-sphere, you need to be accepted there, which means learningthe specific rules of engagement.

The use of visual imagery saves characters, but the question is, does a picture really painta thousand words? For business, this can be helpful when on the run, but cannot berelied on as formal communications channels for clients or important communications.

Long-term effect of shorthand? With the consumption of so much short-form content, attention spans are naturallyshortened. With that, long-form content becomes harder to digest. It will become less ofa priority to educate younger generations in strict grammar usage, since the world will no

The advent of technology such assmartphones and Twitter has madelanguage about getting a messageacross quickly

02/03/2016, 13:40Is internet speak hijacking our business language?

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longer expect it. People will struggle to express themselves in the boardroom where aformal tone is usually the standard. It’s still now difficult to imagine senior executivesusing LOL and ROFL when signing a deal. It however, has its place. It helps whenboarding a plane, a train, a pre-bed answer, or for simply-portrayed communication.

SEE ALSO: Growth in UK internet users could give small business the edge

Should changing online language matter? It matters more for millennials or younger generations entering the business who have notbeen exposed to more formal styles of business. There are times when it will be requiredto express that more business-like style and the concern is that the communication maynot be taken as seriously. But the answer is not about one being better than the other. It’skey to have a good mix of both styles, and knowing when to employ either style. In anage where networking is more diverse, through more channels, internet-age languagespeak has in effect bridged the gap between interpersonal rapport building and having areally good chat to someone at a networking event. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s allowedonline written communication to expand its potential.

Tried-and-tested rules for good communicationKnow your audience. Understanding who is receiving your message is very important.Develop the skills to be able to adapt your message to different audiences, and be awareof when specific tones are acceptable, and more importantly, when they are not. SomeAndroid email automated responses clearly state it’s being sent from a device ‘on the run’and may contain errors or typos. This may just be a valuable backup for workersconstantly on the move who might only gain a chance to review their communications atthe end of the day.

In a business environment you can use shorthand to a certain degree to give yourcompany personality and to be ‘warm’ to customers. Just use it wisely.

Pitch perfectRemember, it’s always hard to read tone, intention and feeling behind communication,therefore it’s always good to start off formally, not using emoticons or manually typedsmiley faces to begin with. If you’re in a service industry, allow your client to begin withemoticons, smilies or even 'LOL'. You cannot guarantee that your client, like the primeminister, will always understand even basic internet speak. It’s better to start off matchingclient’s foray to informal internet speak for this very reason. You will never know thedegree to which all the popular acronyms will be known and you wouldn’t want to makethem feel uncomfortable by racing ahead. Once the rapport is built, boundaries andlimitations are established and the communication can take its own course.

We can’t stem the influence, both good and bad, of internet speak on our businessdealings, but we can be more conscious about the process.

Gavin Hammar is the founder of Sendible.

Further reading on staff communicationIs email communication bad for employee health and productivity?