E-mail Etiquette in the Work Place

E-mail etiquette in the work place hinges on professionalism, effective communication, and proper structuring. Though E-mail is a primary form of communication in today’s fast-paced and technological world, the principles of professionalism are often overlooked. Learning about E-mail etiquette is essential for success in every field.


Maintain Professionalism

E-mail is not primarily a social media networking device. It is “electronic mail”. Although it is a fast form of communication, take your time. Careless errors appear more commonly than they should in professional E-mails. Because of the nature of the medium, it is also common for the writers of business E-mails to say things that they wouldn’t typically say in a business setting. Professional E-mails are not the appropriate medium for expressing intense emotion, sharing personal/confidential information, or socializing. Remember that you represent not only yourself, but your client and your company or organization at all times.

Refrain from including the following in professional E-mails:

•  Emoticons
• Jokes or sarcasm
• Bias or unnecessarily opinionated language
• Personal information or gossip
• Slang
• Unnecessary or irrelevant visuals

Beware of Miscommunication

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your audience will automatically receive your message the way you intend them to receive it. Miscommunication is easy when using mediums such as E-mail. Because of this, it is important to communicate as clearly, effectively, and succinctly as possible.

Consider the following to avoid miscommunication:

• Refrain from using idioms or jargon that your audience may not understand
• Focus each E-mail; avoid presenting multiple or unrelated subjects
• Be succinct and to the point; avoid wordy language
• Use bullets, bold, italics, etc. to guide your reader and highlight important parts
• Place calls to action as close to the beginning as possible
• Avoid using confusing abbreviations or acronyms
• Include all information the first time (attachments, contact info, dates, facts, etc.)

Structure E-mails Properly

Although it is important to structure each E-mail in accordance with its individual purpose and audience, professional E-mails are largely uniform in structure.  In this way, it is acceptable to build professional E-mails off of a formula.

Adhere to the following professional standards:

• Always include a subject line; it should summarize the content of your message.
• Compose your list of recipients in order of importance from greatest to least (e.g. list the Executive Director’s E-mail address first).
• Begin the body of each E-mail with a greeting and conclude with a salutation.
• Include a signature block with your name, position, company and contact information.

It is important to know and to abide by the expected E-mail etiquette for your specific organization or company. If you don’t know, ask! To conclude, here is a short informative video from a seminar on professional E-mail etiquette.