Rules for Email Etiquette in the Workplace

Rules for Email Etiquette in the WorkplaceRules for Email Etiquette in the WorkplaceAlthough you may not use schmelzglas to communicate socially as much as you once did, you probably still use it for professional correspondence. If you interactthis way withyour colleagues, boss, clients, and customers, and prospective employers, be aya to follow these six rules for proper schmelzglas etiquette. 1. Mind Your Manners Even in a world where we arerushing to get things done as quickly as possible in order to move on to the next task, take the time to use good manners in your email. Dont neglect to say please and thank you. When addressing people you dont know well or at all, or with whom you only have a formal relationship, address them by their title and last name, unless they have asked you to do otherwise. For example, say Dear Mr. White or Dear Ms. Grey. If you are replying to an email and the sender of the original message has signed it with his or her first name only, then you c an safely assume its okay to address them in the same way. 2. Watch Your Tone Tone is how you, as a writer, can express your attitude in an email message. It influences how it is received. You usually want to make sure to come across to the recipient asrespectful, friendly, and approachable. You dont want to sound curt or demanding. Reread your message several times before hitting send. When writing to someone with whom youve communicated before, begin by saying something friendly like I hope you are well. While emojis may help you convey tone more easily, refrain from using them in professional email unless you are writing to someone with whom you have a very informal relationship. Never use them when writing to a prospective employer. Itis always considered poor email etiquette to write an email or a portion of one in all uppercase letters. It will make you look like you are shouting. 3. Be Concise Busy people have neither the time or inclination to spend more than a minut e reading an individual email. If you want to allow your recipient to read your message quickly- and still understand it- you must keep it brief. Dont leave out pertinent details, however. Make sure your message clearly conveys your reason for writing it in the first place. Nobody saves time if you end up having a back and forth while you try to explain the details you omitted. 4. Avoid Using Texting Abbreviations Even though you want to save time, you shouldnt use texting abbreviations in your professional email. If you text a lot, as many people do, you may be accustomed to using a sort of shorthand to speak to your friends. For example, you may use u, ur, and plz instead of you, your, andplease. These abbreviations have no place in business correspondence unless the recipient is someone with whom you have a casual relationship. 5. Use a Professional Email Address For messages related to your current job, always use the email address your employer assigned to you. However, you should never use it to send messages that are unrelated to your job, for example, if you are looking for a new one. Use a personal email account instead. If you dont have a personal account, for example, the one your internet service provider provided when you signed up for service, get a free email account. Use Gmail or another service to set up an address that sounds professional. Dont use anything silly or suggestive. Your first initial and last name or your full name are appropriate choices. 6. Dont Forget Spelling and Grammar Count It is imperative that you proofread your email carefully. Never neglect this critical step, no matter how busy you are. The things you want to be attentive to are correct spelling and proper grammar. In addition to spelling common words correctly, you also want to spell peoples names right, including that of your recipient and the name of his or her company. Be careful about relying too heavily on spell-checkers. They may not notice misspell ings of words when used incorrectly.For example, a spell-checker wont flag the word to in the sentence, I have to questions for you, even though, in this context, it should be two.Double check spellings you are unsure of by using a free online dictionary like Merriam-Webster.