Email Etiquette: 5 Commandments Of Sending A Work Email

When you enter the professional world, there are some things that managers take for granted. You're expected to just know some things from Day 1 itself. For example, how to send formal emails. But, unfortunately, not everyone knows the appropriate way to go about it and ends up learning after being yelled at a few times. In case you wanted to avoid that mess, keep these 5 things in mind every time you're sending an email. You're welcome!

1. Skip the slang

Using informal abbreviations is alright when you're texting your bestie, but is so not acceptable when you're sending out official emails. Avoid slang words like Nope, Yup, etc. and stick to proper English as much as possible.

2. Differentiate between Reply and Reply All

There are occasions when you must reply to the sender and there are times when you must send the reply to everyone in the thread. When you mix these occasions up, it can end in a disaster! Always be mindful of who you're sending the mail to and avoid talking bad about another colleague on email altogether. It's never completely private.

3. Keep emotions out of it

We can all get a a bit high-strung when we're at work. Don't let emotions like anger or annoyance or even sadness dictate the content of your email. Wait, cool down, and address the issue when you're not feeling raging mad. You'll regret the emails sent in anger when you've cooled down.

4. Always have a relevant subject

There is just no excuse for sending an email without a relevant subject line. It's totally unprofessional and can completely backfire. People who receive too many emails during the day might not even end up opening yours. Others might think it's spam. Convey the purpose of your email as best as possible in the subject.

5. Mind your tone

Without some basic pleasantries, emails can come across as rude or too informal at times. So even if takes a minute longer, do make the effort of adding 'Dear XYX, Hope you're having a good day' or signing of with a 'Best/Thank you, XYZ'. It really does make a huge difference.