There's no question that many employees prefer to text or e-mail one another at work rather than pick up the phone or talk with someone face-to-face. The former is fast, simple and efficient.

But when it comes to sensitive issues—like personality conflicts or disagreements over a project—it's "sometimes easy to hide behind a text message when an oral message would be the best medium," said Michael D. Haberman, SHRM-SCP, a consultant with Omega HR Solutions Inc., in Atlanta. "If there is emotion tied to the message, then neither text nor e-mail is going to convey that information."