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Using Whatsapp for remote teams Follow

WhatsApp is a messaging programme for communicating with your friends and family. It is free and owned by the same company that runs Facebook.

Since early 2019, WhatsApp announced that they have end-to-end encryption in their service. This means that only you and the person communicating with you can read what has been sent and received. This means it can’t be intercepted en-route and read.

One of the advantages of using WhatsApp for your business is that with over half a billion users worldwide, most, if not all, of your staff are probably already experts on it. Here are some of our top tips for using WhatsApp efficiently in your team.

  1. Install WhatsApp Web if your team have devices (like laptops, desktops or workstations) that they sit down at during the day. It’s super simple and you don’t have to install anything if you don’t want to. Simply go to https://web.whatsapp.com/ in your internet browser, and then on your phone, follow the instructions, and then WhatsApp will appear on your big screen. This means your team can be more efficient typing using their keyboard at their desk.

  2. Understand the difference between a chat and a group. You can create a group with your team members and that means all people in that group can see the messages. Note that WhatsApp doesn’t allow new members of a group to see previous messages. WhatsApp groups should not be used as a repository or storage of important information that you need to remember for a long time.

  3. Pinning groups or chats - Unfortunately (or fortunately), WhatsApp only allows you to pin three things to the top of your list. If your staff member has already pinned their partner and their parents, they are unlikely to pin your work chat as well. If you want to keep a group going permanently, then a regular massage will ensure that the group remains at the top of their list. A daily standup or check-in is a good way to do this.

  4. Groups on the fly - WhatsApp works best when it is ad-hoc, and you aren’t trying to plan everything. It is primarily a way to converse with your team. This means creating fluid groups that you leave and join as you need to. Remember, anything important, move it to somewhere more permanent and searchable.

  5. Decide whether your team members are given admin-level rights or not. This means they will also be able to add other team members as they need to. This will make a more egalitarian system and make it easier for everyone to work more productively.