When NOT To Send Email

Have you ever received an email message that you thought could have been communicated in a better way? I bet if you were one of the 400 Radio Shack employees who were laid off last fall via an email message, you have this thought. (In defense of the situation, executives at Radio Shack said "they (the employees) were warned that firings would be made via email. . . ). Does that justify it? I don't think so.

This situation got me thinking about all the times that sending email is appropriate and more importantly, when it is NOT appropriate. Here are just a few situations at work I thought about:

  • If your boss has been away and you need to get his or her attention, sending email probably won't do it. They are sure to have a backlog and yours is just one in the crowd.
  • If you have a confidential question about your paycheck, sending it over email may get your question answered but now it is possible for others to see your request if it is sent in error to someone else.
  • If you are upset about a new co-worker who is not pulling their weight, talking about it over email to your other colleagues (also known as gossiping) may come back to haunt you. It is very easy for email forwarding accidents to occur.

I have put together this starter list of times when email is NOT appropriate that I hope you will seriously consider as situations arise in your lives. Remember that email is NOT as private as you think!

DON"T SEND EMAIL:

  • If you need to get someone's attention about an urgent or pressing matter.
  • When describing a complicated procedure.
  • When you are angry.
  • For gossip.
  • For sending jokes and chain letters.
  • When you really want to resolve a conflict or misunderstanding.
  • When delivering bad news.
  • When you want to make a heartfelt apology.
  • When typing it takes you longer than making a phone call.
  • For anything you care that others might read.

Using email for most other communications is adequate but there is nothing like a personal phone call or a face-to- face conversation to help secure, solidify and build a working relationship.

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This tip may be reprinted when the following byline is included:

Abby Marks Beale is founder of The Corporate Educator, a professional speaking and training company specializing in helping with busy people work smarter, faster and just plain better. Go to www.TheCorporateEducator.com.