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It's tempting to add personality to e-mails. But "stationary" (backgrounds, fonts, et al) and "smilies" (;^), :^D, et al) can be distracting. Remember, a telephone call or face-to-face meeting will send all of your "personality" and more. Dos and Don'ts
Used incorrectly, e-mail can hinder communications and prevent teamwork. To make sure e-mail is effective, management needs to audit it and ask for user feedback, just as with any communications tool. E-mail only works if you know people get the message. In summary, here are "dos and don'ts" for workplace e-mail:
- Do develop a communications policy, or insist management develop one if you don't have one.
- Do set limits to message length and recipients. Unlike print, e-mail can't easily be set aside. Software alerts and cluttered inboxes are distractions that can demand immediate attention.
- Do ask users on a regular basis how effective e-mail is-and change its use if it isn't working for them.
- Do limit use of CC and BCC, especially to bring others into a e-mail "conversation." Instead, arrange a conference call or face-to-face meeting.
- Don't e-mail back and forth with management or staff to "discuss" ideas unless the exchanges are brief and unambiguous. It's almost always better to talk face-to-face.
- Don't send anything by e-mail you wouldn't send in an interoffice envelope. Keep in mind the same laws applying to print (discriminatory, offensive, copyrighted materials) apply to e-mail.
- Don't use e-mail for urgent or time-sensitive messages. Users may not be online, may be too busy or their inboxes may have too many messages to give yours high priority.
- Don't expect users to read e-mails on their own time or at breaks. Set aside terminals and times of day, similar to use of bulletin boards and communication books, and make sure the rules are understood by everybody.
- Don't send attachments for meetings, such as agendas or minutes, that you expect users to print and bring with them to the meeting. Send them a paper copy instead. Consider not sending anything as an attachment unless requested.
E-mail's speed and efficiency can help move you toward a paperless workplace. Deciding how it's used and involving users in the process can make sure you use e-mail wisely, leaving the most time for patient care. References
1. Smith C. NHS eyes massive savings with email. The Courier. Available at: www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2007/11/13/newsstory10547773t0.asp. Last accessed Apr. 3, 2008. 2. NAPSI. Health and well-being-mind your medicine. Available at: www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=292&Itemid=9. Last accessed Apr. 3, 2008. 3. Huget J. Take two e-mails and iPhone me in the morning. Available at: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101201943.html. Last accessed Apr. 3, 2008. 4. Elliott T. Even superhighways have traffic jams. Available at: www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/16/1192300769157.html. Last accessed Apr. 3, 2008. 5. BusinessWire. Gossip tops biggest workplace pet peeves, according to Randstad survey. Available at: home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071029005141&newsLang=en. Last accessed Apr. 3, 2008. 6. Regan T. Maybe e-mail isn't such a great idea, after all. Available at: www.alternet.org/workplace/65380/. Last accessed Apr. 3, 2008. 7. Stack L. 12 tips for better e-mail etiquette. Available at: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA012054101033.aspx. Last accessed Apr. 3, 2008.
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