Email etiquette is important in the workplace. Emails are now our most convenient, effective (when used skilfully) and lasting method of communication. In order to project your most professional email-image, consider keeping the following in mind the next time you email a co-worker: 1. ‘Reply All’ ONLY if Necessary - Most people are annoyed by (or embarrassed by) the ‘reply all’. Try not to use it, especially when sending a message which is really directed to just one person on the list. Most people don’t like the ‘reply all’ because it leads to an exponential flood of emails to their inbox. This becomes increasingly problematic as people respond with “Right,” or “I agree” or “thank you” or “I got it.” and hit “reply all” again to all the same people. This is considered poor email etiquette. What should people STOP doing in their emails? The answer is: don’t unnecessarily reply all with messages like “Okay”. Please be selective in who you choose to message. Choose your content and your distribution list carefully. 2. Keep it Short and Sweet - If you must loop a new participant into the conversation, then attach the email-thread so that they have perspective, the history and all the necessary details. If there are some extraneous details, the courteous way to do this is to “copy and paste the most relevant portions into a new message or delete the older, less significant (by that point) correspondence. If you force them to hunt for the important information by having to sift through it all from the bottom up then that wastes time, delays progress and frustrates many. 3. Clear Readability - There is such a thing as “too much personality” in a business email. Unless you make you’re living as a graphic artist, clown or a stand-up comedian, keep the wild fonts and colours and flowery background themes and jokes out of business email. It only makes it more distracting and difficult to read. It also doesn’t reflect your level of professionalism in the best light. DO NOT use dark backgrounds and light fonts – that is a tremendous email annoyance (and tough on the eyes)? 4. Remove Unnecessary Quotes – Your e-signature reflects your professional ‘coordinates’ (and it should provide all possible contact information for how to reach you). Including a ‘famous quote’ at the bottom is superfluous and hardly anyone actually reads them. Including those daily quotes in your e-signature at the bottom is unnecessary and doesn’t have any real connection to the work content of your email. Lengthy e-signatures should be avoided. Professional signatures (clear contact information under your name) are important and useful when they are concise, to-the-point and appropriate. 5. Always Fill Subject Line - Leaving the subject line in your email blank can be frustrating for the recipient. If you cannot think of a subject to provide in the Subject Line for the recipient, why are sending them an email in the first place? Be clear, up-front and precise. 6. Be Clear As to Your Intent - FYI means just that, For Your Information. This means that no reply is needed. INPUT REQUESTED tells the recipient what you need in return. Be clear which one you intend. 7. Email Stalking – Are you sending multiple emails to the same person without offering them enough time to respond? Sending an email with a follow-up email just a few hours later asking, “Did you get my email?” can definitely be annoying to the recipient. If it is time-sensitive, waiting 24-48 hours is a reasonable turnaround time for follow-up. Depending on the nature of the email, a week might be appropriate. If it is urgent, pick up the phone and call – email in that case is not the best vehicle for communication.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 08:00:00 +0000
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