E-mail in the Workplace

By: Jorge Luis Gamboa

Communication through e-mail has become one of the most important methods of communication in the workplace. According to Fallows, “about 62% of all employed Americans have Internet access and virtually all of those (98%) use email on the job.” Writing e-mail messages in the workplace is often taken lightly by many of these workers. It is not uncommon to see e-mails in the workplace that have been written as if they were personal e-mails. However, writing and sending e-mails in the workplace is a very sensible matter.

The development of new technologies, such as e-mail, has greatly improved communication in the workplace. Unfortunately, these technologies also bring with them some negative consequences. E-mail characteristics, like easy storage and forwarding, can work against you if not used properly. You and your company may be affected by e-mail risks that include lawsuits and the leaking of sensitive company information. On a more personal level, writing an e-mail in an unprofessional and irresponsible way can cost you your job. Thus, it is important to understand the importance and risks associated with writing e-mails in the workplace. This blog entry will guide you through the process of writing effective and appropriate e-mails in the workplace.

Subject Line

Perhaps the first thing you may want to consider when writing an e-mail is the subject line. The subject line is one of the most important aspects of the e-mail because it is the first thing your reader reads and what establishes the reader’s interest in your message. The subject line should be short and concise, but at the same time appealing. The subject line is a great way to capture your reader’s attention. You want your reader to open the e-mail as soon as he reads the subject line.

Planning

Before you start writing, you should take a few minutes to consider the best way to get your message across effectively. You should take your audience into consideration and accommodate your writing in a way that is appropriate for that particular case. For example, you may want to write an e-mail to your boss differently to an e-mail written to a co-worker. You also want to consider the tone you will use in the message. In this step you should also decide on who you will send the e-mail to; sending an e-mail to people unrelated to the matter being discussed is unnecessary and may bring forth problems to you and your company.

Writing

            Now that you have planned your message accordingly, you can start writing your e-mail. You should always remember that workplace e-mails should be written in a professional manner; without using slang or terms such as “lol.” In a way, an e-mail represents you. If you write an e-mail in a careless way, your reader may judge you as a careless person. On the contrary, an e- written in a professional and respectful manner gives portrays a good self-image to the reader. You should also take into consideration that an e-mail should be short and concise. According to Fallows, "Email is good for relaying facts, but bad for heart-to-heart communications. In the workplace, email works best for some of the simplest tasks, like managing logistics
and communications." Also, An e-mail that goes off into a lot of detail can be tedious for the reader and may cause the reader to lose interest in the subject. Always include the necessary information to get your message across, but don’t include unnecessary information. Also, make sure that your e-mail has an appropriate

Finishing

            After you have written your e-mail, take some time in revising your e-mail to correct any grammatical errors. Sending an e-mail with grammatical errors can portray a bad image of you and looks unprofessional. Make sure to include an appropriate heading and closing statement. Double-check that you included everyone you wanted to send the message to. Also, make sure that you didn’t include anything in the e-mail that you wouldn’t want others to read, such as sensitive company information or unprofessional comments; you never know who might read this e-mail.

             

           Writing workplace e-mails is an important task. Just as with any other method of communication, you should be careful in how you communicate your message to others. If you follow the steps mentioned in this entry, you will be able to write a professional e-mail that will communicate your message effectively. Have a great day at work and remember B.N.G. Consultants is always here to help.

Sources:

“Email at Work” by Deborah Fallows

http://banners.noticiasdot.com/termometro/boletines/docs/consultoras/pip/2002/PIP_Work_Email_Report.pdf