Now that billions of e-mail messages are
traveling the Internet every day and instant communication is
only a click away, you might think that e-mail is the most effective,
modern-day answer to all workplace communication. But that isn’t
always the case.
Assuredly, e-mail has transcended communication
barriers of time and distance and provided an instantaneous
medium to deliver messages near and far. In fact, many may consider
it along with the computer as the best revolutionary workplace
communications vehicle—even surpassing the telephone.
Today, employees find it nearly indispensable to all types of
work tasks and responsibilities.
No doubt e-mail can be a tremendous time-saver,
but it can also be an annoying time-waster. What causes employees
to shudder at the sheer volume of e-mails they receive—for
some in excess of 100 plus each day? Why are electronic mailboxes
clogged with often too lengthy messages and e-mail trails, many
of which are quickly deleted by the recipient or filed away
in a folder for later reading? Why do some recipients spend
more time than needed to read and understand convoluted e-mail
messages?
In today’s workplace where time is
at a premium and business demands are multiplying daily, employees
are frustrated when common e-mail blunders hinder their work
productivity. To sharpen your e-mail skills, avoid these five
common blunders:
1. Writing in fractured, or abbreviated,
English — Though e-mail invites spontaneity,
when business e-mails contain abbreviated words and emoticons
(symbols or letters in place of words, such as u for
you, b/c for because or $$$
for money), it is difficult and time-consuming for
the recipient to read the content. Write out words in full,
proper form in business e-mail to create a professional image
and favorable impression—even if you use shortcuts in
personal e-mail and instant messaging.
2. Using incorrect grammar and punctuation
— Readability studies show that it is much more difficult
to read a text block without proper grammar and punctuation.
Run-on sentences (two complete thoughts not joined by correct
punctuation) and sentence fragments (an incomplete thought that
stands alone) are two prevalent e-mail errors. Recipients often
spend more time trying to decipher the messages so that they
can understand them before responding. Also, careless grammar
and misspellings detract from the sender’s message and
leaves the recipient with a less than positive impression.
3. Writing lengthy e-mails —
Brevity is essential to writing effective e-mails that get straight
to the point. If you want your recipient to read your message,
write an eye-catching subject (entry) line and a maximum of
three short paragraphs in the body text. Anything longer should
be put in an e-mail attachment. And, remember to use good judgment
and caution when sending lengthy e-mail trails. They often discourage
the recipient from reading your e-mail and sometimes contain
unnecessary or irrelevant information. No one likes to scroll
down more than one screen page.
4. Sending blanket e-mails to large groups
of people — Frequently, e-mails are sent to many
people who may ask, “Why am I receiving this?” “Am
I supposed to respond to this?” Only those who need to
know or who need to take action should receive e-mails. What
has become an irritating workplace problem is that too many
people are either being sent an original e-mail or are copied
on an e-mail for no good reason. Have you seen e-mails where
whole departments are the recipients? Instead, ask yourself,
“Why am I sending this e-mail to him/her?” If you
think it is justified, then proceed. Otherwise, streamline your
distribution list.
5. Using e-mail to convey information
of a confidential or sensitive nature — Because
of the inherent cold nature of the e-mail medium of communication
and the opportunity for breaching confidentiality through forwarding
messages to others—often unintended recipients, it is
always best to avoid using e-mail to transmit information of
a confidential or sensitive nature. For example, don’t
use e-mail when conveying job performance evaluations; dissatisfaction
with employee work behaviors or with clients or customers; personal
information; or even emotion-based messages. E-mail is also
not a communication medium for two-way exchanges for negotiation,
problem-solving or decision-making. Face-to-face is the still
the ideal communication for these, followed by telephone communication.
Joan Matochik is president/owner of JM Communications, which specializes in professional development training in the areas of customer service and oral and written communications. A professional speaker, writer and trainer, she has been in business for more than 20 years.
Email: jmatochi@comcast.net
Company Profile: JM Communications
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