Wait before you click! Before you send your next email at work, consider the following tips:
Be Original
You used to sign all your emails with “Thank you, Wesley.” But when the new British guy in the office started signing his emails with “Regards, Nigel” your signature changed to “Regards, Wesley.”
When you copy someone else’s cultural phrases and begin to sign your emails the way they do, it can appear as if you’re mocking them or you’re trying to establish their image as your own. Not only could you create tension with the person you’re mimicking, but it could lead to distrust.
Don’t Use Email as Your Sole Means of Communication
Having a conversation with someone shows them a certain level of respect. If you have a problem, talking to them says that you’re mature enough to work together to find a solution. Simply sending an email places all the blame on them, and could make you appear unreasonable or mean.
Don’t Point Fingers
If you notice something is out of place and want to bring attention to it, don’t blame your coworkers for not doing their job properly in a department-wide email, especially if you don’t have all the details.
Sending an email in which you write the following could get you into trouble: “Louise and Adrienne had some loose documents on the server instead of filing them where they belong, so I went ahead and made new folder aliases and put them on everyone’s desktop. Now we can all file our documents in their proper folders.”
You don’t know that someone in another department moved those files because they were troubleshooting an unrelated problem and forgot to move them back. Not only is a message like that one condescending, but by implying your coworkers are inept your email could be viewed as harassment. Whether you are at an office setting or even filing disputes with your wireless internet providers, it is essential to act civil and respectably.