WeChat at Work

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Abstract

This study explores organizational members’ experiences of using WeChat, a personal social media tool, at work for work. Four affordances of social media use in organizations lay the analytical framework for the qualitative exploration of interview data conducted: fifteen Chinese full-time employees discussed the usage and functionality of WeChat in organizational communication. Data indicates that WeChat demonstrates three out of four affordances characterizing social media use in organizations. Moreover, WeChat use only facilitates the information exchange and network development within an organization rather than knowledge sharing and collaboration. Participants reported both positive and negative impacts of using WeChat for their work-related communication, suggesting the benefits and concerns of implementing such technology at work.