Is it rude to send just 'Hi'?

It is not rude, but it forces the other person to wait and reply before they learn what you want. Adding the question to the greeting saves everyone time.

Should I use emoji at work?

Follow your team's habits. A thumbs-up or smile can soften a short message, but avoid them in serious or formal conversations.

When should I switch from chat to a call?

When a topic needs more than three or four replies, or when the tone is becoming tense, a short call usually resolves it faster.

How to Write Work Chat Messages People Actually Answer

Published 2026-09-30 · Updated 2026-10-21

Chat moves quickly, so people skim. A message that buries its point gets a late reply or none. A few habits fix most of it.

Don't send a lone greeting

Sending 'Hi, do you have a minute?' and waiting makes the other person stop and reply just to hear the question. Put the greeting and the question in one message so they can answer right away.

Slower: 'Hey, quick question' (then wait) Faster: 'Hey, do you know where the final slide deck is saved?'

Lead with the point

Say what you need or what you are sharing in the first line. Add the reason after it, in a sentence or two.

Buried: I checked with the dev team after yesterday's meeting and it looks like they might have trouble finishing by Friday, so I was wondering... Upfront: Requesting a schedule change. Dev can't finish by Friday. Can we move it to next Wednesday?

One topic per message

When a message has two questions, people often answer one and forget the other. Send them separately or number them.

End with the next step

Say what you need from them and by when. 'Please take a look' leaves them guessing. 'Please approve by 3 p.m. so I can send it today' does not.

Move long explanations elsewhere

If the explanation goes beyond a few lines, write it in a doc or email and send a link with a one-line summary. Chat is for pointers, not for essays.

Mind the clock and the tone

Unless it is urgent, a late-night message can wait until morning. Match the team's habits for emoji and tone, which is usually the most natural choice.

Writing for people who skim

People often read chat on a phone between tasks, so formatting matters. Short paragraphs, a line break between ideas and bold text for the key request make a message scannable. Avoid long blocks without breaks. If you need to share several items, use a numbered list, because replies can then refer to 'number 2' instead of quoting a whole paragraph.

Two things before Friday: 1. Please approve the draft by 3 p.m. 2. Which room should we book for the review?

Threads, mentions and urgency

Reply in a thread so the main channel stays readable. Use @mentions only for people who need to act, since tagging a whole channel for information interrupts everyone. If something is urgent, say so in the first line and give the reason, for example 'Urgent: the client call moved to 2 p.m.' Reserve this for genuinely urgent items, or the label loses its meaning.

FAQ

Q. Is it rude to send just 'Hi'?: It is not rude, but it forces the other person to wait and reply before they learn what you want. Adding the question to the greeting saves everyone time.
Q. Should I use emoji at work?: Follow your team's habits. A thumbs-up or smile can soften a short message, but avoid them in serious or formal conversations.
Q. When should I switch from chat to a call?: When a topic needs more than three or four replies, or when the tone is becoming tense, a short call usually resolves it faster.