Email etiquette

Every now and then, we all need a refresher course, and since so many unprofessional emails have come across my desk lately, there is a need to repeat this piece.

Email has become so popular and available that many people forget that the email at work must be used in a professional manner. Emails are in essence a business document, and companies have the right to monitor and even retain email records.{{more}}

Not every employee seems to be aware that their email and instant messaging content can come under company surveillance. Email is by no means private, as it can be intercepted, misdirected, blind carbon copied or forwarded to anyone without your knowledge.

It’s your responsibility to know your company’s email policy. Ask the HR department if you do not know if there is one, then adhere to it if there is one or be selective about what you write.

When using email, write in a professional manner and edit your content. It should be appropriate for that person, and if the document were to be made public, it should not be embarrassing to you or your company. Messages need to be precise, grammatically correct and void of facial symbols.

Limit personal use of the email and IM while at work. A few minutes may be acceptable, but not hours. Chain letters and jokes should be reserved for your personal email on your personal time as this reduces your productivity and robs company time

Your emails should have a subject line that is appropriate to the content, and an email signature with current contact information. Do not type in BOLD LETTERS as it is considered as yelling in cyber language

Before sending an important email, send it to yourself first to ensure that you’ve used the right language and that the email conveys the correct tone. Let it sit in your draft box for at least 30 minutes before you hit the “send” button as there is no way to recall an email once it leaves your box.

Notify the recipient of your email before you send attachments, as viruses are prevalent and may unknowingly come from familiar addresses. Notification is also necessary when sending unusually large files, especially to people who may not have a high-speed connection, and downloading may be time consuming.

If an email has been sent to multiple recipients, think twice before you hit the reply button. If your message is just for one person on the list, do not hit the “reply all” button.

Karen Hinds President/CEO – Workplace Success Group,
Toll Free: 1-877-902-2775; Tel: 1-203-757-4103
Karen@WorkplaceSuccess.com
www.WorkplaceSuccess.com
Creator of The Workplace Success Program (TM)