Text messages at work lol

I was in a court proceeding recently involving a termination. The proof consisted of numerous text messages between the employee and a manager. It struck me as we sorted through the electronic discussion just how much communication occurs in the job setting via text message.

It is a good idea to review your employment policies to make sure that they contemplate all the different types of electronic communication that are being used in your workplace.  Do you specify how an employee must give notice about attendance or request time off? Odds are, you have some employees requesting time off via text. If you require a more formal means, you’d best spell it out in your policy.  Do you have a communications tree for getting information disseminated? If so, it is likely that text messages will go to cell phones rather than phone calls to home land lines. Does your harassment policy make clear that harassment can occur via text messages (not to mention photos and videos sent via text)?

You get the picture. This is definitely an area of communications that has changed profoundly in the last decade. Make sure your policies have changed with the times.