Don't Make These Mistakes When Writing Work Emails

Even though it can be tempting, it's not often a good idea to send an email when you're angry with someone or something at work — or even when you're tired, hungry or stressed. Taking a short break before typing will help you avoid saying anything you might regret later.

Forget to Say "Hello"

Always start and end your email with a polite hello and goodbye. Even if you're sending a short message, the reader might think the email is rude if you don't greet them and end the message politely.

Mark as Urgent When It Can Wait

When you want an answer quickly, you might think marking an email as "urgent" will get people to reply sooner. But marking them as such too often will make it hard for people to know which emails really are urgent.

Another thing to consider is that what's urgent for you might not be urgent for your reader.

Gossip During Work

A 2019 study by Captivate found that 72% of people said they gossip about workplace issues and their coworkers while at the office.

And while gossiping may not always be a bad thing — 44% of participants said it helped relieve work-related stress — it's best to keep it out of your emails.

Exercise 3

Discussion

How often do you have to write work emails?

Have you ever sent an angry email?

When was the last time you received a rude email?

Do your colleagues often gossip at work?

Do you ever check work email outside of office hours? Why? Why not?

Exercise 4

Further Discussion

Which of your coworkers do you get along with best?

How has your workplace changed since you started there?

What do you find most annoying about your workplace?

What would be your dream job?

A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn't feel like it. — Alistair Cooke. What do you make of this statement?

Source

This lesson is based on an article by Jenny Whelan.