PART 1: EMAIL MANNERS

We all know it is important to have good manners at work.  Politeness is what makes it possible to work closely with others in a peaceful and productive way.  When it comes to office etiquette, most people know the basics.  Here is a baker’s dozen of examples of general office etiquette.

1. Have good hygiene so that you don’t offend other people’s senses.
2. Dress modestly so people will notice you, not your attire.   
3. Greet people when you first see them each day. 
4. Don’t eat other co-workers’ food found in the company refrigerator. 
5. Open a door for a colleague whose hands are full or is pushing a cart through a door. 
6. Wait your turn to speak to a coworker if another colleague was there first.  If the conversation continues, leave and come back later or make an appointment. 
7. Moderate the sound of your voice on the phone or when speaking to others in an open setting so it doesn’t interfere with another person’s concentration or ability to conduct business.  
8. If you are surrounded by people, avoid using a speakerphone.
9. Respect co-workers privacy, work space and personal space.
10. Don’t take things home – such as office, kitchen or bathroom supplies – that don’t belong to you.  Not only is this bad manners, but it is also theft. 
11. Clean up after yourself in the kitchen and bathroom. 
12. Do not go to work sick.  Being contagious at the office doesn’t make you look like a superstar.  It just risks everyone else’s productivity.
13. Do not peel off articles of clothing as the day winds down.  Shoes, socks, and ties should remain on until you leave the office.

For most people, these suggestions are clear!  However, with the advent and onslaught of technology devices, the rules of office etiquette may not be as obvious.  The tools designed to make life easier can muddy the rules of etiquette.  In fact, some may not have even given this issue any thought. What is appropriate behavior when it comes to use of tools such as instant messaging, email, voice mail, cell phone use, and the myriad of other technological devices that now compete with you for your colleagues’ time and attention?  I’m not talking necessarily about how to write an effective email for instance, although it is important to follow the rules of grammar when writing emails.  Rather, what are the rules of conduct for when and how to use email – or any other technology – at work?

Over the next few weeks, we’ll examine good manners for using the various technology devices that prevail today.  Today we begin with email.  Of all Internet activities, email is the most popular and pervasive. According to a survey done in 2001 by the UCLA Center for Communication Policy entitled “Internet Report:  Surveying the Digital Future”, nearly 88 percent of all Internet users in the U.S. used email. The same survey indicated that about 90 percent of those who used the Internet at work used it to access business email.  That was nearly a decade ago.  It is probably safe to assume that those numbers have edged even closer to 100% today.

The fact that email is replacing much face-to-face business communication does not mean that there are no rules of conduct.  Quite the contrary.  Because email is so pervasive, it is important to know and follow the rules of etiquette related to email use.  Here are a few basic do’s and don’ts of email etiquette:

1. Don’t check emails during a meeting.  It is rude to stare at your Blackberry or iPhone when a colleague, customer or vendor is speaking to you.  But if you must, then apologize in advance and keep it to a minimum.
2. More importantly, don’t respond to emails during a meeting. It is one thing to casually glance at your phone just to see what messages might be coming in, especially if you are waiting or on deadline for something.  It is quite another matter to respond to emails during a meeting. Unless it is a matter of life and death, you should wait until the meeting is over to reply to emails.
3. Don’t assume that just because you sent an email, the recipient read your email the moment you sent it.  Allow an appropriate amount of time for a response.
4. On a related note, don’t assume someone received your email just because you sent it.  The most important emails have a notorious way of going into SPAM or getting lost due to server or browser failure or malfunctions.  If you need something urgently and did not receive a reply to your email, pick up the phone and call.
5. Don’t ignore emails.  Business email accounts should be checked at least once a day and plan to set time aside to respond to emails.
6. If you receive a request via email but cannot handle the request right away, let the person who sent the email know you received their request but you won’t be able to tend to it until later.  This allows them to plan their time more effectively.
7. If you are going to be out to a conference or on vacation and will be unable to check emails for several days, create an auto-responder message to let people know when you will return and what to do for issues that cannot wait for your return.
8. Just like your parents taught you as a child, use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when requesting anything from anyone.  In general, basic manners apply to email the same way they do in face-to-face communication.
9. Open first contact with a salutation and close with a signature, even though the email address shows the names of both recipient and sender.  Follow-up emails do not necessarily need this.
10. When addressing someone you don’t know very well, use ‘Mr.’, ‘Ms.’ or ‘Dr.’ in the salutation with their last name, if you know it.  (Salespeople may prefer not to follow this rule as it creates a layer of formality that they must then overcome.)
11. Watch the tone of your emails.  Strive to come across as respectful, friendly, and approachable. Beware not to sound short or demanding.  With emails, this is particularly challenging since inflection, body language and facial expressions cannot be communicated in email.  In an effort to ‘sound’ friendly, be careful not to use excessive emoticons.  Emoticons (little animated icons that show facial expressions) are not suited for professional communication.
12. Do not use acronyms to communicate a sentiment in a business email.  For example, LOL is commonly used to denote “laughing out loud.”  However, not everyone knows what these notations mean, making some feel uninformed or leaving others wondering what you said.  Moreover, some of the notations can be vulgar and offensive to conservative or spiritual people.  The rule of thumb is that if you’re not comfortable typing out the words, you shouldn’t use the acronym.
13. Do not write emails in all caps.  That is the equivalent of shouting at the recipient.  By the same token, don’t write in all lower case letters either.  It is the equivalent of mumbling and comes across as lazy.
14. Ignore the rules of grammar at your own risk.  Nothing says ‘unprofessional’ more than spelling errors, poor syntax and lack of punctuation.  It is the equivalent of using slang in professional phone conversations.

With the rules of email etiquette in hand, feel free to check your inbox knowing even Miss Manners would approve of your communications. 

Next week, we will look at the rules of etiquette related to cell phone use at work. 
Don’t miss it!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Good manners is the art of making those people easy with whom we converse. Whoever makes the fewest people uneasy is the best bred in the room.” Jonathan Swift

© 2010 – 2011, Keren Peters-Atkinson. All rights reserved.