View Full Version : E-mail etiquette in the workplace.
I think it is really interesting how we have come to develop a whole nuanced way of communicating through e-mail. Sometimes you can carry a whole idea or emotive response without specifically referring to it in the body of the text.
Example, there's this **** I have to speak to on a regular basis. He's rude, arrogant, and thinks that when he curls one off in the morning, it smells like a million bucks. He's very abrasive and curt when anyone speaks to him on the phone, and in email he always begins with my name, and ends "Regards", totally irrespective of what Ihave just done to get him out of the sh!t with his paylords. E.g.
Chris,
*Insert unrealistic demand or expectation here*
Regards,
Derek.
On the flip side, I am usually quite informal when I email, even when speaking to senior corporate directors for very large banking and financial institutions (our client base). I usually start with a "Hi" and end in "Kind Regards", and more often than not I find when that if they reciprocate in email, then when I speak to these people on the phone that they are decent normal human beings. Some are even friendly enough to use colloquial terms like "mate" which you would definitely not expect to see in our industry (traditionally at least!).
Anyone else find similar things at their place? Here endeth my random observation for the day! :o
Yeah... I get annoyed when people do the same to me as Derek.
I sometimes sign my name ML but only for internal emails... I had to feedback an internal applicant for a job and one of the things is that she sent a colloquial email to me asking 'when do you think we will find out about the job luv?'
:/
I have a lovely example of an email that I am proud of, but its at work.
:D
BB x
The applicant actually used the term "luv"?
The applicant actually used the term "luv"?
Yeah... she was an internal applicant who had been working one day a week with us so I guess she knew us a bit... but still :/
I had to explain to her about business etiquette...felt really awful not offering her the job as I think we could have changed her attitude.
Oh well!
BB x
SidewinderINC
30-09-2008, 22:27
you're lucky you even get that Chris!
I get emails like this
---------
Next meeting (08/10) lunch will be provided - END
----------
And that's the subject line, nothing else.
I don't actually have any "bad" examples of that off the top of my head, but most of her emails are just demands/statements within the subject line followed by " - END"
I'll get you one tomorrow at work :p
cn u chng th wrdin on the homepage pls ill call u at 4 to go thru it thanx
This is e-mail, not SMS, you inbred chav.
SidewinderINC
30-09-2008, 22:52
This is e-mail, not SMS, you inbred chav.
You actually received that in an email?!
Sometimes you can carry a whole idea or emotive response without specifically referring to it in the body of the text.
Now that is a skill. Bearing in mind that all emails can be subject to legal investigation. Inferring that someone is an idiot and this needs to get this done but never actually saying it :evil: Most of the time the people who I sent the emails to are too stupid to realise the subtext..... normally their managers who I CC in do understand the warnings ;)
As to using the name and regards. Most of the time I don't know them and I don't really care. On projects I will work with people for a few months and then never see them again. Using Hi in emails will get you labelled as a grad or a secretary in my place..... and that's not good.
I get cheesed off with internal escalations. Half the time they barely make any sense, showing some of the most appalling sentence structure and grammar known to man. It's daft given that included in escalations are the transcription of their communications with customers which are almost without a fail immaculately worded. If they can do it for customers, why not us? It pisses me off when I have to spend 20 minutes reading through the transcription just to figure out what should have been clear from their summary, but isn't. e.g.
cst hs prb e-mail dly'n'spm. c log fur ex.
Eventually figured out to be that the customer was having problems with e-mail delivery and was getting some message about spam (dly could have been delay.. 'n'spam could have suggested the customer was maybe complaining about getting spam). The attached log to that one was completely useless as they'd been looking at the wrong day, even if they'd got the right time..
I really hate the internal emails I get which are like:
From: so and so
Subject: So and so off ill
Body:
Really annoys me.
Apart from that, the majority of people here can actually write, which is nice.
Del Lardo
01-10-2008, 12:36
I occasionally get replys to my mails from my American collegues asking me what a word means. Think it's because I use words with more than two syllables :D
My vocabulary has increased a lot since I moved to Cambridge and I do try and integrate this vocabulary into my e-mails as it makes me sounds proper clever like ;)
They were pretty good at my old company. From tomorrow I will not be using email at work and probably no internet either. I'M FREE!!! :D
Arse.
Just re-read one of my emails to a Director and I typed 'spk'
:o
Ashamed! lol... had I not been doing my colleague's work I would have had the time to type properly I am sure ;)
BB x
I get emails from foreign depots that say things like
"Thanks to check with the local truck"
"Please revert soonest"
"Dear, tell me who on the earth is controlling the matter?"
"Con is top top urgent for us colls!"
"My cust finds TNT in the UK cumbersome in dealings"
"No problem it's a crack"
"I am Olivia, a woman"
etc etc etc
"I am Olivia, a woman"
I hope you reply: "I am Lopez, a man, hear me roar!" or similar ;)
signature..
Regards,
%username%
that grinds my gears too tbh
signature..
Regards,
%username%
that grinds my gears too tbh
Agreed!
MarcLister
03-10-2008, 17:02
You actually received that in an email?!Jeez, I woz in a rush OK! ;D
I've always done my emails as such:
Name,
Contents of email.
Regards,
Will
If it's not a work related or just a friendly chatty email I will be less formal - but I've always done it that way. Whether it be to one of my managers (my minions), or to one of my directors (my bosses).
Whenever we have to escalate a big issue it's traditional to open with
"I'm sorry to have to bring this to your attention...."
We can normally decide how good or bad a day we are having by comparing how many "I'm sorry to have to bring this to your attention" emails that have been sent :D
Piggymon
03-10-2008, 22:56
My most commonly used phrase in emails at work ..
Please advise :/
Seriously, the amount of clients who email us incomplete artwork/orders, don't tell us what colours to use, what colour of cap they want .. ask for black embroidery on a black cap without realising ! :angry:
Drives me nuts ;D
ChemicalKicks
03-10-2008, 23:30
I think it is really interesting how we have come to develop a whole nuanced way of communicating through e-mail. Sometimes you can carry a whole idea or emotive response without specifically referring to it in the body of the text.
Example, there's this **** I have to speak to on a regular basis. He's rude, arrogant, and thinks that when he curls one off in the morning, it smells like a million bucks. He's very abrasive and curt when anyone speaks to him on the phone, and in email he always begins with my name, and ends "Regards", totally irrespective of what Ihave just done to get him out of the sh!t with his paylords. E.g.
Chris,
*Insert unrealistic demand or expectation here*
Regards,
Derek.
On the flip side, I am usually quite informal when I email, even when speaking to senior corporate directors for very large banking and financial institutions (our client base). I usually start with a "Hi" and end in "Kind Regards", and more often than not I find when that if they reciprocate in email, then when I speak to these people on the phone that they are decent normal human beings. Some are even friendly enough to use colloquial terms like "mate" which you would definitely not expect to see in our industry (traditionally at least!).
Anyone else find similar things at their place? Here endeth my random observation for the day! :o
I always send emails like that, usually to people I don't like though.
Why doesn't h like you?
I also hate it when someone starts an email with your name. As opposed to 'Hi xxxx' or 'Hello/Dear'
So ****ing rude.
BB x
I also hate it when someone starts an email with your name. As opposed to 'Hi xxxx' or 'Hello/Dear'
So ****ing rude.
BB x
:thumbsup:
I think if you recipient quite well then you are better placed to read an email for what it is, but if it is not someone you are familiar with, it does read (to me at least) as quite abrupt.
I also hate it when someone starts an email with your name. As opposed to 'Hi xxxx' or 'Hello/Dear'
So ****ing rude.
BB x
I always use just use their name, but then the majority of people I email I tend to know anyway.
I also hate it when someone starts an email with your name. As opposed to 'Hi xxxx' or 'Hello/Dear'
So ****ing rude.
BB x
Well that's "proper" email etiquette believe it or not.
Mei,
blah blah blah,
regards,
Will
I'd only ever use Dear/Hi if I knew the person on a more personal level.
When I worked at BT, one of the directors visited my dept (10 men, 2 women) for a week to get the gist of what we did and how it fit into his business channels.
We ended the week with a night out which went...good and bad.
Waiting in our inboxes on Monday morning was the following email:
To: ITW_POST
Cc: *half a dozen high-level managers*
Subject: Following a disastrous weekend in Newcastle, I have made a decision.
Body:
You bastards can drink. Shall return before xmas for a rematch.
<name>
*n
Yeah...well that's rude :p
It was an internal person :/ someone I had spoken to on the phone moments earlier and speak to often.
He was an arse on the phone too - so maybe it was just him.
Nobber.
BB x
Well that's "proper" email etiquette believe it or not.
Mei,
blah blah blah,
regards,
Will
I'd only ever use Dear/Hi if I knew the person on a more personal level.
My emails must sound nuts :p
I don't particularly change my style when I email people in business terms. The only time I'm more "formal" is when if I send an introductory email about my business. Thereafter, should I get a response and a persons name my email will be like:
"Hello John Smith
Thanks for the order! I'm super chuffed they're selling well for you. We have a new line out at the moment - I will send it up for you to have a wee look at! When you get it let me know what you think!
Just as a heads up, I'm not around on Wednesday but I will drop you a line on Thursday.
Have a great day!
Clare
*business logo and contact details*"
I have a list of people who send me emails like thus:
"Clare,
Order received.
John"
In my head I read them in an Army radio report on a walkie talkie type think which inevitably makes me lol :)
I find women (and no offence meant) tend to be more "chatty" in their emails, rather than formal and writing an "email". Even if I know the person I tend to be more succinct with my emails as I don't have time to waste with pleasantries until I see the person ;)
I find women (and no offence meant) tend to be more "chatty" in their emails, rather than formal and writing an "email". Even if I know the person I tend to be more succinct with my emails as I don't have time to waste with pleasantries until I see the person ;)
It takes I milliseconds to type the emails I do :) If I type a formal formal one... I spend ages thinking "ooo err... does this sound alright... maybe I should use another word... what word should I use... hmmm humm humm"!!
People always remember my emails too which for me... is a good thing as us designers can get lost amidst the rest!
Sorry, who are you?
:p
:'( You told me you'd never forget me and that I was special! :'(
:p
I will have to remind you who IR when I pop to London this month :D
:D
You know I heart you muchly :lubu:
Pumpkinstew
07-10-2008, 18:43
Can't say I've thought about it much.
I normally end e-mails where I'm asking for something 'Many Thanks', or 'Thanks in Advance' otherwise I stick with 'Regards'.
'Warmest Regards', 'Kindest Regards' or even worse 'KRs' I avoid like the plague.
Due to the nature of my work only about 10% of the e-mail I send/receive is from people I haven't met before, and that normally removes a lot of the need for formality.
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