While some say email is dead, most managers and employees still use it as a primary mode of communication with their bosses and colleagues. And it’s no wonder, considering all of its benefits. For instance, email is a fast and easy way to disseminate information. It offers recipients the opportunity to think about their response, unlike with a phone call. And it leaves a paper trail, which can come in handy in a variety of situations.
That said, as one of the top employment agencies in Miami, we know there’s also a dark side to communicating via email. It can become a source of misinformation, confusion, and frustration. In addition, it can also lead to conflict because without the benefit of being able to read someone’s body language, you might take a comment meant as humorous as an insult instead. And finally, it can make you look less-than-professional when you get too casual with this mode of communication.
To help ensure you use email to its fullest potential, while navigating its downside, here are some etiquette tips to keep in mind:
- Be as specific as possible with the subject line. For instance, rather than using “website project” as the subject, use “issue with website launch date.”
- Be concise. Email is meant to be a short and sweet way to communicate. With some email systems, the recipient can see the first few lines of the email without having to open it up, so make those lines count.
- Always spell check. Don’t rely on automatic spell check; read through each email before sending it to ensure it is accurate. With auto fill, it can be easy to send an email to the wrong person, so double check the “to” field before hitting the “send” button.
- Be professional. That means no LOLs or OMGs. That’s fine for personal emails, but not for work. So spell out words properly, use correct grammar and punctuation, and make sure you have an email signature. Also insert a privacy statement at the end of your emails, which can help protect the spread of misinformation.
- Be careful. Being professional also means being careful about your word choice, formatting, and punctuation. Lots of “?!?!!” or words in ALL CAPS could send the message that you’re angry or irritated, which might not sit well with the recipient.
Also a few don’ts to keep in mind when it comes to workplace email etiquette:
- Don’t share intimate thoughts or comments that could be construed as offensive via email.
- Don’t send large attachments without confirming the recipient can receive and open the file.
- Don’t use emoticons or fancy fonts or colors.
- Don’t address sensitive issues, such as performance problems, via email; as one of the top employment agencies in Miami, we know those types of conversations are better left face to face.
- Don’t type the recipient’s name into the “to” field until you’ve proofread the email (just in case you hit “send” by accident.)