Email Etiquette

Deliver bad news up front to set clear expectations. Communicate a revised release date after performance testing and avoid ambiguity or blame.

Improve complaint writing by clearly detailing problem history and context, outlining resolution attempts, and proposing phased training with reader involvement; third-party tools followed by application-based training delivered remotely for mid-management.

Keep your cool in business emails by considering the recipient, impact, and repercussions of anger; avoid sending when upset, and use a tone you’d share with your supervisor.

Structure your email body for readability with proper line length and plain text wrapping, and set the font size between 10 and 12.

Manage emails with caution; don’t use personal email for official purposes, double-check recipients, and remember that email is not private and can be read.

Reply promptly and professionally, using reply all judiciously and quotes when needed. Keep your inbox clean by reading, backing up, deleting sent items, and managing multiple accounts with privacy.

Learn to avoid flaming in email by calming down before replying, reading your message twice, and asking if you would say it in a face-to-face meeting to prevent conflict.

Empathize with sadness and frustration, acknowledge their point, thank them, explain what led to the issue, avoid nitpicks, and state the resolution upfront with a necessary apology.

When emails won't work, escalate to a phone call or face-to-face meeting to avoid misunderstandings and save time, especially for delicate news or disciplinary action and conflict resolution.

Set up an out-of-office automatic reply, note your return date, provide backup contacts, and switch off the auto reply when you resume work.

Do not recall messages, delete or modify threads, or request delivery/read receipts; own your words, treat others as you would, and write emails like official letters.