In recent years, WhatsApp and other messaging apps have become a staple of communication within the workplace, providing a quick, informal channel for discussing tasks, sharing updates, and staying connected with our colleagues.
However, as WhatsApp messages increasingly make their way into employment tribunals as evidence, it’s raising new questions about privacy, professionalism, and the boundaries between work and our personal lives.
So should WhatsApp be banned in the workplace altogether?
In this blog we will look at the argument for and against banning WhatsApp in the workplace and what the best approach could be with regards to protecting your organisation.
WhatsApp Messages as Evidence in Tribunals
The line between employee’s personal and professional lives is often blurred when it comes to workplace messaging apps. Informal WhatsApp conversations, which may contain offhand remarks or personal complaints, are now frequently presented as evidence in employment tribunals.
These messages can reveal insights into workplace relationships, managerial conduct, and even potential harassment or discrimination, providing valuable information to support claims against employees and their organisations.
But the very informality that makes WhatsApp convenient also makes it prone to misunderstandings. Sarcasm, jokes, or casual complaints can easily be taken out of context when scrutinised in a legal setting.
As we know from the recent and ongoing Covid inquiry, WhatsApp messages have been scrutinised from messages in relation to the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and members of his civil service team, messages that they believed to have been private have been shared for all to see.
It is stated that 1 within employment tribunals evidence from WhatsApp messages has almost tripled since 2019, with data showing that 427 tribunal hearings in 2023 involved the disclosure of employee WhatsApp messages compared to only 150 tribunals in 2019.
So as organisations should we be doing more to protect our employees and our businesses?
The Argument for a Ban: Protecting Privacy
For some, the answer lies in banning WhatsApp for workplace communications.
Organisations could consider restricting communication to professional channels like email or designated messaging platforms like Microsoft Teams, which offer more control and can be used solely for work purposes.
A workplace WhatsApp ban would help draw a clearer boundary between work and personal lives, protecting employees from the risk of their personal messages becoming legal evidence.
It could also help reduce the feeling of being “always at work,” as WhatsApp doesn’t typically offer the same features for setting working hours or “Do Not Disturb” that corporate platforms have.
Work emails are typically crafted with care to convey the right tone, but messaging apps often lack this level of consideration. For instance, a manager might impulsively send a late-night message about a task they suddenly remembered, which could feel like an unwarranted intrusion into an employee’s private time.
Furthermore, messages that are too frequent or have an abrupt tone may easily be perceived as harassment or bullying so there does need to be some consideration into this method of communication.
Natwest has recently taken the bold step to blocked staff from using WhatsApp to communicate in the workplace in part given to the difficulty in retrieving evidence that may be important to a situation.
The Argument Against a Ban of WhatsApp
However, banning WhatsApp might ignore the very reasons it’s so popular: it’s fast, user-friendly, and facilitates real-time communication. It also helps to provide the user to facilitate quick decision-making opportunities as it can help to streamline tasks and improve efficiency.
Many small businesses or remote teams often rely on WhatsApp to keep in touch, especially when traditional channels are too slow or impractical.
Additionally, many employees appreciate the flexibility of staying connected via WhatsApp instead of being tied to a desk or a workplace computer and it can also help to improve team connectivity especially for those teams that are remote or hybrid workers.
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that may not have the budget for dedicated corporate communication tools, WhatsApp offers a free, highly functional alternative. Its low cost makes it an attractive option, particularly for startups or organisations with limited resources
A Balanced Approach
Rather than a complete ban, organisations may benefit from a middle-ground approach by developing clear policies and procedures that guide employee’s WhatsApp use in the workplace.
These policies could include boundaries around personal and professional conversations, protocols for group chat conduct, and reminders that work-related messages might be subject to review if conflicts do arise. As an organisation, you may also wish to consider your management population and consider whether any training is needed to remind managers of the risk they pose to using this form of communication and how this could easily be misinterpreted by their employees.
Employers might also encourage the use of alternative platforms for sensitive discussions and ensure that employees understand what types of messages could be admissible in a tribunal.
With the growing use of WhatsApp messages as evidence in tribunals, organisations and employees need to think carefully about how they communicate in the workplace. While an outright ban might not be practical for every organisation, establishing clear guidelines for acceptable use could protect both employee privacy and workplace professionalism.
In today’s digital-first world, finding the right balance between flexibility and privacy is more essential than ever.
At ViewHR, we’re here to support your business every step of the way—from planning to implementation. Contact our team today for expert guidance on managing change and keeping your workforce engaged.
