Establishing email etiquette in the workplace will not only make for a more efficient environment and workload, but can also protect your company from liabilities. Professionalism in email language will provide your organization to uphold a professional image and reduce your email risks and liabilities in the workplace.
Here are some Do’s and Don'ts for proper business email etiquette:
· Subject Line
It is the first thing a reader see’s (next to your name), be sure that it is concise and to the point. Try to convey the emails bottom line in the subject line.
· Greet the reader by their name, if possible
Personalize your email while maintaining a professional tone using a person's first and last name.
· Use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation
No one likes reading misspelling and punctuation errors. Be sure to proof read your email before sending it out to help maintain a strong level of professionalism, as well as company branding. If emails coming out from your company are misspelled, it will misrepresent your company's foundation as an uneducated, lazy workforce.
· Be concise, thorough and to the point
Making sure to answer all questions and any follow-up questions that might arise, helping to prevent future emails from occurring.
· Communication can come off louder in emails and text messages
Be cautious of using capitals so you aren’t YELLING at the reader, as well as limiting your use of exclamation marks!
· Take caution when using abbreviations or emoticons
Leave the extra fun, personal touch to text messages or for people you have already developed a personal relationship with.
· Do not discuss confidential information through emails
You never know who else is looking at your email, or when your account is hacked. Best practices recommend not sharing password, login or secure information over email messages.
· Clean up your To: section
When emailing a large group of people consider using “bcc” so that people do not have to scroll all the way down the list of names before getting to the actual message. This can be especially irritating when viewing emails through smart phones.
· Only Reply to those who need to be replied to
It is not always necessary to “reply-all” and if you do so, provide a contribution of substance or value to the discussion. For example, “Me too” can just disrupt the workflow rather than contribute meaningfully to the conversation.
· Leave a professional signature
When in doubt end with “Thank You”, "Thanks", or "Best", and always provide your name and organization (contact information) in your signature. It allows the other person to quickly have your contact information and know who you are for an easy follow-up.
Make it easy on your employees and provide them with a written policy and guidelines to email etiquette in your workplace. For more information about workplace etiquette and protecting your company from liabilities, call Kipper Insurance Agency today at (760)471-2200!