Mass texting employees is an excellent way to reach nearly everyone in your organization quickly. (Everyone with a mobile phone, that is, which, yes, is essentially everyone.)
Mass texting sees significantly higher open rates and engagement than other less universally beloved communication methods—such as email.
But it’s easy to get carried away with mass texting. Send too many irrelevant, long-winded, or just plain weird texts at the wrong time, and, very soon, employees will start opting out en masse, as is their right.
How can you prevent employees from sending back the dreaded “STOP” message?
The keys are moderation and common sense. A good rule of thumb for mass texting is don’t send a text you wouldn’t want to receive. To get a bit more granular on texting etiquette, here are seven dos and don’ts for mass texting employees:
Related: Employee Texting for HR Teams: Doing It the Right Way Read it here →
Don’t Overdo It
As of this writing, text messaging doesn’t seem to bother people nearly as much as email. Over 90% of people read their text messages within three minutes of receiving them, and mass texts see average open rates of 98%. Mass emails, on the other hand, see average open rates of only 20%.
In the working world, the nonstop crush of email has come to symbolize the stress of never feeling caught up with work and the pressure to remain permanently in touch.
The problem with email: There’s just so much of it. The average office worker receives more than 120 emails daily. Nearly 40% of office workers said “email fatigue” could push them to quit their jobs.
Amid the constant barrage of email messaging, a text message can feel like a breath of fresh air. So, let’s try to keep it that way. Don’t send so many mass texts that employees begin to feel like reading and engaging with them is a chore.
There’s no hard-and-fast rule concerning how often to mass text employees but use your best judgment. Multiple texts per day is probably overkill; one or two per week may be more acceptable.
Do Keep It Short
Have you ever received a text message from a friend and groaned when you saw how long it was? Our joy at receiving a text is inversely proportional to the length of the text.
Respect your employees’ time and patience when composing a text message. And remember that shorter messages tend to get higher engagement.
Standard SMS messaging has a limit of 160 characters. Longer messages are automatically broken into multiple parts. We don’t recommend exceeding 160 characters, and, in fact, you might want to consider much shorter messages.
Consider alternate communication forms if you have more information to share with your employees than a short text can contain. You can also include a URL to direct interested employees to additional information online.
Don’t Mass Text at the Wrong Times
Smartphones are very personal devices. Most people keep their phones within arm’s reach most of the time. But that doesn’t give you an open invitation to interrupt your employees with text messaging at all hours of the day.
A late-night text from a friend might be a pleasant surprise, but an after-hours text from work can feel intrusive. Unless there’s an urgent need—such as alerting employees that the office will be closed due to inclement weather—confine your mass texting to work hours. (If your company doesn’t have standard hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is an acceptable texting window.)
Do Stick to Relevant and Appropriate Topics
Most employees are content to receive brief factual announcements or reminders via text messaging, such as a notification that the open enrollment deadline is approaching or registration information for a training webinar. More sensitive topics are better suited for email—or, better yet, in-person meetings.
For example, mass texting employees about an upcoming round of layoffs will most likely come off as insincere or cheap. You can, however, use a text message to inform employees of the date and time of the meeting where the announcement will be made.
Also, avoid texting about topics that employees might find frivolous. Again, use your best judgment based on what you know about your organization’s particular employee mix. Your employees might welcome a daily inspirational quote from the CEO—then again, they might prefer to find inspiration their own way.
(Here are some more tips on when and when not to mass text employees.)
Don’t Get Cute (Unless You’re Sure Your Employees Will Appreciate It)
Text messaging has evolved a language of its own complete with emojis, abbreviations, and memes. But, while these might be a blast to use in your friends and family group chat, they might be a little off-putting when coming from an employer.
You know your employees best, so if you think your Office GIF might get a big laugh, go for it. But if you’re uncertain, it’s best to err on the side of caution.
Also, don’t assume all your employees share the same texting shorthand. Believe it or not, not everyone knows what “BTW” or “LMK” means, and using these terms might make some employees feel excluded.
Do Remain Professional
Text messaging can be fun, but it’s always a good idea to remember that you’re an employer mass texting employees. Retain a courteous and professional tone (whatever “professional” means to your organization) throughout your employee text messages, and keep your messages focused on providing essential information.
Don’t Rely Entirely on Mass Texting
Receiving mass text messages should never feel mandatory. While most people enjoy text messaging, “texting anxiety” is a documented phenomenon. With employee burnout at an all-time high, the last thing you want to do is contribute to the stress.
The most effective employee communications strategies use multiple platforms to cast a wide net and offer employees several alternatives for interacting with your company. Mass texting can play a crucial role, along with well-written emails, microsites, video, and the classic employee newsletter.
So, go ahead, text away! Just be sure to mind your dos and don’ts.