Things you should never do when sending work emails


An official email is a delicate art which should be written and sent with minimal or no mistakes. This is because any misleading or incorrect information can cause a tough breach which can be difficult to repair. Your poor grammar or judgment can also be shared again and again with different audiences. Here are some of these things which you should not do when sending work emails.

1. Don’t say things you wouldn’t say face to face

The best rule of thumb is to avoid including things you wouldn’t be happy to have forwarded to the entire company management. Similarly, you should not write things which you wouldn’t say during a face to face conversation.

Things you should never do when sending work emails

2. Don’t criticize

Avoid constructive criticism, especially in cases where you are required to provide performance feedback. If the criticism must be given, do it over the phone or when you meet in person. Avoid gossiping because it’s considered unprofessional and inappropriate in a work email.

3. Avoid the word “hey”

This is one of the worst salutations to use in emails, and especially in work-related emails. It does not only reveal a casual feeling in the conversation, but some studies show that it even offends some receivers. It will, therefore, be more professional for you if you use salutations like “Hello,” “Hi,” or “Good morning.”

4. Don’t get personal

Avoid sharing too many personal details. This is because your email can be forwarded intentionally or accidentally to different people, or be kept as an official record. If this occurs, you’ll end up with an embarrassment that never dies. You should also avoid expressing your emotions, grievances, frustrations, and all the things which you wouldn’t like to be published with your byline.

5. Don’t say too much

An official email should be brief and straightforward. Although there are some tools and apps like Slack which help reduce the number of emails received by the office management, the chances are high that the recipient gets many emails on a daily basis. Be concise and summarize your work so that it won’t be perceived as boring.

6. Don’t tell a lie or pass blame

Avoid lies, especially when applying for jobs or giving official work reports. Most recruiters and employers have a sixth sense for honesty, and can quickly notice anything fishy. Also, avoid passing blame with phrases such as, “That’s not my problem.” The statement does not only show lack of professionalism but also indicates that you don’t care.

Things you should never do when sending work emails

7. BCC instead of CC

Sometimes spam is annoying and a waste of time as well. If it’s a must that you send the same email to different people, then use the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) option, especially in the case where the recipients are not required to reply. This ensures that email addresses are not exposed to all the recipients.

Be keen before clicking the “send” button, proofread your work emails, and avoid careless mistakes and typing errors and you will eliminate these miscommunication issues. This will help you maintain an air of professionalism in your workplace.

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