The Problem with WhatsApp Groups for Work

WhatsApp is a convenient tool for work groups. Most people already have it on their phone, are familiar with using it and it’s free. Whilst all that is true, we’re seeing a number of workplace disputes and grievances stemming from WhatsApp groups, particularly when used on personal devices. What’s become increasingly clear is that many of these issues disproportionately affect neurodivergent employees, though the challenges are universal enough that everyone benefits from better communication systems.

1. WhatsApp is Personal, you can’t turn it off

Most people use WhatsApp for personal reasons, which means it’s an app they open in their own time outside of work. Yes, notifications can be turned off for particular groups either permanently or for a number of hours but when you open WhatsApp you still see those little numbers indicating unread messages.

The neurodiversity consideration: For people with ADHD, those notification badges create a powerful pull that’s extremely difficult to resist. The inability to truly switch off isn’t just about willpower, it’s about how ADHD brains are wired to respond to notification cues. Similarly, autistic employees often need clear, predictable boundaries between work and personal life. The blurring of these boundaries through WhatsApp can create significant anxiety and make it harder to decompress after work.

The result is never truly being able to switch off and set a boundary around work communications. This type of boundary is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Taking time out and not thinking about work is essential for everyone’s wellbeing but particularly for neurodivergent employees who may already be experiencing higher levels of cognitive fatigue from navigating workplace demands.

Removing the line between work and home increases the likelihood of burnout. We’ve seen people go on long-term sick leave and resign as a result. For neurodivergent employees, who may already be expending significant energy on workplace adjustments and masking, this can accelerate burnout substantially.

2. The Constant Notification Problem

This deserves its own section because the sensory and cognitive impact is significant. WhatsApp groups can be extremely active, with messages coming through at all hours. Even with notifications muted, the visual presence of unread messages creates cognitive load.

The neurodiversity consideration: For autistic employees, constant pings and notifications can be genuinely overwhelming from a sensory perspective. The unpredictability of when messages will arrive creates a state of hypervigilance. For people with ADHD, each notification is an interruption that makes it harder to maintain focus on the task at hand. Research shows it can take up to 23 minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption and with active WhatsApp groups, those interruptions can be constant.

Additionally, the pressure to respond quickly (which is often the unspoken expectation in WhatsApp groups) can create significant anxiety for people who need more processing time, who carefully consider their responses or who struggle with spontaneous communication. This includes many autistic people, people with social communication differences and those who find rapid-fire conversation formats difficult. Understanding what adjustments can help different neurodivergent employees is crucial for creating truly inclusive communication practices.

3. Group Communication Dynamics

WhatsApp groups often develop their own culture, with in-jokes, assumed knowledge and fast-moving conversations where context is easily lost. Messages can come thick and fast, with multiple conversation threads happening simultaneously within the same chat.

The neurodiversity consideration: Autistic employees may struggle with the unwritten rules of group chat communication, when to respond, how much detail to include, how to interpret tone without facial expressions or vocal cues. The use of emojis as communication shorthand isn’t universal and what seems obvious to some can be genuinely confusing to others.

For people with working memory differences (common in ADHD and dyslexia), trying to follow a fast-moving group chat with multiple threads is like trying to follow several conversations at a dinner party simultaneously - exhausting and often unsuccessful. By the time someone has processed the context and formulated a response, the conversation has often moved on, which can feel exclusionary.

The informal nature of WhatsApp also makes it harder for some people to know what level of formality is expected. Is this professional communication or social chat? The ambiguity can be stressful.

4. Sharing Private Information (including Phone Numbers)

WhatsApp relies on phone numbers as identifiers, therefore everyone in the group has each other’s personal phone number. Anyone can add someone to a WhatsApp group without their consent, therefore sharing private information. If you are using WhatsApp groups, at an absolute minimum written consent to add the person (and therefore share their telephone number) should be gained. Once the phone number is released into the group, access to that number cannot be revoked, even if the person leaves the group.

In this situation, the employer is responsible for the actions of individual employees. From a neurodiversity perspective, this isn’t just about privacy, it’s about psychological safety and the ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

5. Company Information being Stored on Private Devices

WhatsApp stores the messages sent and received on each individual device. When WhatsApp groups are being used to share and discuss sensitive information, the result is the business losing control of that information. When someone leaves the company you can remove them from the group but you cannot revoke their access to information that was shared with them whilst they were in the group. This remains on their device for them to forward or share as they wish.

6. Potential GDPR Breaches

Organisations are required to maintain adequate controls over all personal data being shared, including knowing what is being shared, by whom and where it is stored. It’s very easy for groups of employees to set up “unofficial” WhatsApp groups and share information. Information shared via WhatsApp may also be subject to disclosure should a subject access request be received.

7. Lack of History and Searchability

As a practical issue, when new starters are invited to join a group they do not get access to any history. This means that the benefits of using chat systems to share information in a way that can be accessed in future is lost.

The neurodiversity consideration: This issue affects everyone but is particularly significant for neurodivergent employees. People with working memory differences may need to refer back to information multiple times. Autistic employees often prefer to have written records they can review to ensure they’ve understood correctly. The inability to search back through conversation history or see context from before joining makes it much harder for new starters to get up to speed.

Additionally, rapid-fire conversations without clear documentation mean that important information can be buried or lost. For someone who processes information more slowly or who needs to review information multiple times, this creates a significant barrier to accessing the information they need to do their job effectively.

What are the alternatives to WhatsApp?

Providing people with mobile phones for work purposes that can be switched off when not at work and will be returned when someone leaves is one way of using WhatsApp without the issues detailed above. There may still be some issues with WhatsApp terms and conditions, therefore we do recommend checking those.

A better option would be to use another service for instant messaging such as Slack, Microsoft Teams or Google Chat. All of these are in the control of the employer, they allow multiple channels to be set up so the right people can be in the right groups and conversations can be kept organised. Work email accounts are used so there is no requirement to share personal phone numbers, giving individuals the choice as to whether to have these apps on their personal phones or control over not accessing them when not working.

Making Communication Systems Neurodiversity-Friendly

Whichever system you choose, consider these neurodiversity-inclusive communication practices:

Set clear expectations: Establish and communicate norms around response times. Not every message needs an immediate response. Make it clear that it’s acceptable to have notifications off outside working hours.

Create focused channels: Rather than one busy group chat, create specific channels for different topics (e.g., urgent issues, social chat, project updates). This helps people with attention differences focus on what’s relevant to them without being overwhelmed by everything.

Use threading: Encourage people to use thread or reply features to keep conversations organised. This makes it much easier to follow discussions, particularly for people who struggle with multiple simultaneous conversation threads.

Consider asynchronous communication: Recognise that not everyone processes information at the same speed. Where possible, use methods that don’t require immediate responses. Project management tools, shared documents or email may be more appropriate for non-urgent matters.

Make social spaces optional: If you want space for social chats (and we think this is a good idea), then set up a social channel within whichever instant messaging system you’re using that people can opt into. Make it genuinely optional, not everyone wants or needs social connection with colleagues via chat, and that’s fine.

Yes, it is likely small groups of colleagues will set up WhatsApp groups to chat away from work. This will be where friendships have developed and people have chosen to share their telephone numbers. The difference is that these are voluntary, social connections rather than work-imposed requirements.

The Cost-Benefit Analysis

Whilst there is a cost to the alternatives, compliance with GDPR, keeping your company information under your control and encouraging healthy work boundaries are all benefits worthy of the cost. If your business is already using Microsoft or Google, then these tools are included in the price – there really is no reason to use WhatsApp on top.

From a neurodiversity perspective, investing in appropriate communication systems isn’t just about compliance or productivity. It’s about creating a genuinely inclusive workplace where people with different cognitive profiles can do their best work. Supporting managers to understand neurodiversity and implement inclusive communication practices is a relatively small investment that’s far outweighed by the costs of burnout, absence, grievances and losing talented neurodivergent employees who simply can’t function in a WhatsApp-dominated communication environment.

A Final Note on Employer Responsibility

Be aware that employers may still be responsible if bullying or harassment happens within WhatsApp, even if you’re not using it as an official method of communication. Take any grievance or complaint raised seriously and investigate it. The same applies whichever method of communication is used. However, in our experience, these types of complaints are more common when WhatsApp is encouraged as a business tool.

We’ve also observed that neurodivergent employees are sometimes more vulnerable to miscommunication, exclusion or bullying in informal group chats. The lack of moderation, the fast-moving nature of conversation and the blurring of professional and personal boundaries can create environments where subtle (or not-so-subtle) exclusion happens more easily. By using professional communication tools with proper oversight, you create a safer, more inclusive environment for everyone.

If you’re reviewing your workplace communication systems and want to ensure they work for all your employees, including neurodivergent team members, Silk Helix can help. We offer neurodiversity consultancy, workplace needs assessments and training to help you create genuinely inclusive practices.