In the digital age, a huge amount of communication happens via instant chat platforms – and work is no exception.
So what’s the best way to write a message in English to your colleagues in your work chat?
Considering these are probably people you talk to every day, you don’t need the formal tone of business emails. At the same time, you want to maintain a level of professionalism – especially if your instant chat platform is monitored by managers!
Here you’ll get 8 tips and phrases to help you strike the perfect balance of friendly and professional when you message in English.
01- Greet your colleagues
First, the basics: how to open the conversation. To greet your colleagues, you don’t need to overthink it. A simple phrase like this is perfect:
- Hi there / Hi everyone
It’s similar to how you sound when you talk, which is the exact tone you are looking to achieve when you message in English on work chats.
02- Chit Chat before work
Before immediately talking about your tasks and projects, it’s nice to chit chat to your colleagues. Although writing, it’s just like a normal face-to-face conversation!
Messaging an individual
- Hope your day is going well.
- Hope you had a nice weekend.
Messaging a group chat
- Hope everyone’s day is going well.
- Hope you all had a nice weekend.
You may notice the first word of this sentence is “Hope”, without the subject “I”. This is very common when sending a fast message in English, and works well in this context.
03- Request information
Often, the real reason you’re writing in the work chat is because you need something! As you make your request, it’s good practice to acknowledge your colleagues’ busy schedules. A phrase like this achieves exactly that:
- If you have/ anyone has a moment, could you please …
This way, you communicate what you need, but you also show consideration towards your colleagues. Always a good idea!
Making polite requests at work can be tricky, so get some tips with this video.
04- Give updates
If you need to update your colleagues on the status of a project, or you need to share some information with them, this phrase works well:
- Just to let you know…
Although casual, it’s perfectly appropriate for the type of fast message in English we send to colleagues.
05- Attach documents
We often attach documents when we message in English at work. For that type of situation, this expression works well for fast communication:
- Here is / are the document(s)
This is better than the expression “please find attached”, which is more appropriate for formal emails in English.
06- React to another message
Maybe you would like to acknowledge your colleague’s message. To react, use one of these English expressions:
- Sounds good.
- Thanks for letting me know.
- Thanks, all clear.
These are very typical ways to respond to a message in English. It’s like the “thumbs up” emoji, but with words – perfect for the workplace.
“These aren’t formal English expressions, but they are ideal for a casual message in English at work. “
07- Give your input
If you have a suggestion that you would like to share, you can introduce the topic with a message in English like this:
- I have some ideas about….
In case someone has presented an issue and you need to express your decision, you can write:
- Let’s go for…e.g. Let’s go for the first option!
These aren’t formal English expressions, but they are ideal for a casual message in English at work.
08- End the conversation
If you want to close down the conversation in the work chat, try this:
Thanks everyone! That was really helpful.
And then a quick, well-wishing comment like:
- Take care!
And possibly even:
- Enjoy the rest of your day! Enjoy the weekend!
That’s all you need in the digital age to write in English professionally!
Modern English at Work
As technology rapidly changes the way we communicate, it can be tricky to know what’s appropriate at work. This challenge is even bigger when English isn’t your first language.
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to keep developing your professional English skills. Training sessions with Talktips are a great way to stay confident using modern English at work. Explore the training options on the website, and in the meantime, good luck with your next message in English!
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