Emails may be challenging. A well-written email may be the difference between a productive working relationship and possible misunderstanding, insult, or conflict — all of which can be exacerbated if your staff are always working remotely. Emails may be challenging.
The ideal email communication depends on a variety of aspects, including your profession, whether you're writing to a superior or a peer, whether you're writing to one or several recipients, and if you're emailing across cultures. However, HR and people management teams can utilize some fundamental dos and don'ts to advise staff.
Include a clear topic and avoid shouting.
Always provide a subject line that clearly summarizes the subject of your email. Include this in the subject line if your email is urgent or demands a quick response, but do so sparingly. If your email isn't urgent, the crying wolf will simply irritate recipients. No matter how urgent your email is, don't uppercase all of your letters since it will make you appear angry — it's like SHOUTING OVER EMAIL.
Always start with a proper greeting.
Salutations are a contentious topic. Many people believe that a formal greeting should always be used. This is dependent on the person receiving the gift. An informal 'Hi' would usually be enough if you're writing to a close colleague or your team. It’s OK to write without a greeting if you're writing in a chain of emails when the context has already been established in a previous email or even over the phone. Always include a formal salutation and an introduction when writing to someone you don't know well.
Only use shorthand if you know who you're talking to.
If you're writing to your own team on a project you've been discussing, brief, informative emails with a list of bullet points are appropriate. This allows them to grasp the assignment fast, and it's much simpler to read on a Smartphone. Sending a message like this to strangers, on the other hand, might make you look brash, unpleasant, and even a bully. If you don't already have a relationship with the receiver, you'll need to establish one before sending abbreviated emails. Similarly, don't send emails that are excessively long, as this will weary the receiver.
Avoid utilizing sarcasm or colloquialism in cross-cultural situations.
Be mindful that your colleagues in foreign offices may utterly misinterpret amusing sayings or colloquialisms. At worst, you may offend them; at best, you may make them feel befuddled or excluded. Similarly, don't send emails that are excessively long, as this will weary the receiver.
Think about why you're sending the email.
Always specify whether and when an action is required in your email. Emails with open-ended responses might be perplexing. It is beneficial to have an action or even to inform the receiver that no further action is necessary. Before you submit anything, picture what you want to achieve and change your words accordingly.
Consider your grin before you give it.
Emojis have infiltrated our daily lives. Because it's hard to observe facial expressions while communicating via email or text, individuals use smiley faces to soften their emails. However, according to 2017 research, this might make the sender look inept. It depends on your company's and industry's norms, but be aware of when and to whom you send emojis. That's acceptable if you're sending them to individuals you know well and are confident will understand them. If not, think about it.
In a timely manner, respond
Even if it's just to acknowledge an email and say you'll get back to them with an acceptable response within a certain timeframe, always respond within 24 hours. People despise being neglected!
Consider where your email could wind up.
In a professional email, never use obscene language. Your email will, in fact, stay on the server long after you have erased it. Even if the problem is rectified, your email will still remain, and you don't want to offend somebody or get into problems because of anything you wrote hastily.
Always double-check your spelling.
Colleagues might be irritated by emails that contain spelling and grammatical problems. They could infer that you're too lazy to utilize the spell checker before sending an email. Before you send an email, read it again to ensure that it is clear and has the appropriate tone.
Your email writing style might have a big impact on your career. I'm not claiming that proper email etiquette compensates for a lack of other talents, but it does provide legitimacy to your presence. It’s important to keep in mind that it's not that individuals can't send nice emails. The majority of them aren't paying enough attention. The good news is that etiquette works in the same way that any other habit does: pay attention to it for a while and your subconscious mind will ultimately take over. Until then, continue to incorporate email etiquette, even if it is forced at first.
