Subject: Email Communication Skills

Email Etiquette Guidelines for Company Communication

Emails are becoming used more frequently within our company. To increase the possibility that the underlying problem will be recognized and handled, rules that govern how the communications are directed to whomever they may concern are necessary. Employees must follow correct etiquette while sending emails, which includes not overcommunicating, proofreading them before sending, using appropriate subject lines, being attentive with their remark, being specific and accurate, and being kind.

Avoid Overcommunication

Employees should weigh the urgency of a situation before sending an email in order to avoid overcommunicating. Besides, one is required to share personal details in the process and this could be costly if the issue proves unnecessary. On the other hand, employees need to avoid sharing information that might be sensitive which may include bad news. It is advisable that such messages are better delivered in person as one would express the empathy, understanding, and compassion that is required. Hence, the receiver is not likely to misinterpret the intentions of the sender.

Use Appropriate Subject Lines

Secondly, employees should use appropriate subject lines as they determine whether the individual at the receiving end will ignore or read the email. It is important to note that sending an email without a subject line increases the chances of it being spammed (Kim, 2008). Therefore, selecting few ideal words will provide the receiver with a snapshot of what the email entails. Reports delivered on a routine basis will require employees to include dates in the subject line. Further, emails that make it mandatory for the recipient to take a call of action should also include a date when a reply is expected.

Be Polite and Organized

Emails may be perceived as less formal compared to the use of traditional letters. However, professionalism requires employees to be polite whenever addressing one through an email. Therefore, this begins from how one arranges their content as it includes combining various statements. For this matter, workers should consider using bullets and numbering where it is necessary to make their message organized. Similarly, employees should avoid using inappropriate abbreviations and emoticons as they may be interpreted differently by the various recipients. Printing and sharing of emails is common and thus being polite would only save employees from embarrassment in the event this happens.

Consider Tone and Clarity

Unlike face-to-face interactions, the use of emails does not allow workers to utilize facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone in delivering their messages (Kim, 2008). However, using a given set of words, capitalization, sentence length, and punctuation, one can bring out their intended auditory and vocal cues. On the other hand, evaluating how a given tone may feel emotionally is important to avoid being misunderstood. Hence, if a statement proves to be ambiguous, it is appropriate that the worker finds alternative phrases that have clarity in delivering a given message through the email.

Proofread and Include Critical Information

Last but not least, checking for punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes in an email is important before pressing the send button. A recipient who gets typos within a message perceives the sender as unprofessional and irresponsible when it comes to delivering their roles. It is important to note that lengthy emails are not advisable as they increase the chances of having more errors within the message. However, while aiming at writing short and concise emails to make the proofreading work easier, employees should not leave out critical information.

Please take note of the above listed guidelines in addressing issues through company emails to make the activities of the company run smoothly. Thank you for your cooperation and in case of any questions, kindly forward them to my office.

Cc: Company CEO

Reference

Kim, C. (2008). Using email to enable e3 (effective, efficient, and engaging) learning. Distance Education, 29(2), 187-198.