5 Quick Tips for Email Etiquette (at work and at home):
- If you’re upset, sleep on it. Give it overnight to think on it before you respond. This will help your response be less emotional and most likely more measured and gracious.
- Texting rules need not apply. The same type of short-hand that might be acceptable in texting, (only in social circumstances, and even then take care) should not be used within an email. This is especially true in business email communications, even in the most casual of ones between colleagues. While we’re at it, you should hold yourself to the same grammar and word choice standards for social and business emails. No foul language, misspelled words or mis-shapen sentences. Emojis don’t typically belong in any form of business correspondence.
- Read it again. Before you hit send, read it twice and possibly three times to make sure you have gotten to the point and the message is as concise and clear as possible. Being considerate of other’s time is just good manners.
- How’s your tone of voice? This may sound crazy in a written email, but that is exactly the problem. Tone of voice is completely left open to interpretation by the reader. So beware of sounding too pointed or short. Using a salutation, opening greeting and closing salutation can help in that, i.e. “Hi Leslie, Good morning, hope your week is starting off well. In regard to the memo you mentioned….Best, Courtney”
- Pick up the Phone. If there is any reason where a situation feels out of line or is escalating in a negative way, pick up the phone. You can alleviate so many possible issues by just speaking directly to a person. Often times tone can be misread in an email, by you or them.