Post by Singapore Management University

In hybrid workplaces, the fastest message is not always the most effective way to resolve a difficult conversation. In a commentary for The Straits Times, Associate Professor of Law Dorcas Quek Anderson from the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law examines why text messaging can be a poor fit for complex workplace negotiations, drawing on a Singapore study of 400 participants which found that text-based negotiations recorded the lowest agreement rate, took longer to resolve, and produced poorer relational outcomes than audio, video or face-to-face conversations. Her commentary points to a larger lesson for the future of work: effective collaboration is not only about having more digital tools, but knowing when to choose the right communication channel. From workplace deadlines to difficult negotiations, the way we speak to one another can shape trust, outcomes and relationships — and a five-minute conversation may sometimes achieve what a long text exchange cannot. Read the commentary to learn why a five-minute conversation may sometimes achieve what a long text exchange cannot: https://sgsmu.com/4uJ57WE #SGSMU #SGSMUYPHSL #SGSMUThoughtLeadership #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceCommunication #DisputeResolution #MeaningfulImpact