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Communications - understanding the risks with Email

Email is an extremely powerful tool in terms of communication but it is frequently misused or overused.

When communicating, irrespective of the medium used, we should always consider how the recipient might interpret our message(s). In business today Email has become an extremely popular way of communicating information but because we are reliant on the words and format (i.e, we cannot observe the body language behind the message to help us interpret the content) there is an increased risk of misunderstanding. When sending emails we need to be very careful and consider the following:

• Subject Title – very important particularly if you receive a large number of emails everyday, it helps if the sender has indicated the subject matter of the content
• Salutation
• Grammar
• Content
• Legal implications**
• Closing

**There are legal perspectives to consider with every type of communication, including email. All correspondence by e-mail is actionable in law and whether it is casual, social, or legal in its content. It is therefore recommended, and now common place to see, a legal disclaimer on all correspondence. Legal disclaimers usually comprise of:

• Confidential nature of the communication (i.e. who it is intended for)
• Scope of advice
• Contractual obligation entered into by the organisation
• Limitation/Liability


e.g.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Unless expressly stated otherwise this message is confidential and may be privileged. It is intended for the addressee(s). If you are not an addressee any disclosure or copying of the contents of this email or any action taken (or not taken) in reliance on it is unauthorised and may be unlawful. If you are not an addressee, please inform the sender immediately. Any opinions expressed which are of a personal nature are not necessarily those of xxx (name of sender) or xxx (the company)



Email Etiquette- Things to consider when using E-mail


• Emails should be polite and include the appropriate salutation and closing. It is for the sender to decide how formal/informal these should be but they should be included. Examples Dear, Hi, Regards, Look forward to hearing from you etc.
• DON'T SHOUT- Anyone who only writes in capital letters is considered to be SHOUTING.
Quite apart from the fact that shouting when you should be talking is rude, all-caps emails are difficult to read, so keep the Caps Lock key off
• Think about how your message will be perceived when the reader opens it- is it how you would like to be addressed?
• Be Polite, objective, base your emails on facts: This should help to minimise the risk of misinterpretation
• Avoid Racist, Sexist or sensitive remarks
• Avoid messages with personal details
• Avoid attachments that take more than a minute to download
• Take ownership: Sending an email does not equate to relinquishing responsibility of a problem until the receiver has acknowledged it and confirmed they accept it
• Face to Face: Can it be said face to face- if so avoid using email. When this is not an option only write things in an email that you would be prepared to say face to face ( you never know who might see the email or how the receiver might use/interpret it)
• Don’t assign blame in an email, correct someone’s mistakes or highlight errors: Feedback of this nature should only happen when invited to do so by receiver, for example someone may ask you for your views or to scan a document and make suggestions for improvements. In relation to performance issues, work errors these should be dealt with in a supportive way using a ‘medium’ that allows free-flowing dialogue- ideally face to face or if not by telephone. In any case always Check your facts first!
• Email may be perceived and translated differently by the receiver: In conjunction with the above point the content and grammar used by the sender may not be perceived or translated by the recipient in the way that the sender intended it to be. This can lead to contract issues; confusion; misdirection; or feelings of being bullied or intimidated on a personal level, etc., all of which can have legal implications
• Be aware of any copyright or licensing laws (new or forwarded emails)
• Don’t assume that the email is going to be read: Be aware of others priorities- they may not match your own. Where possible give people time to respond, but if it is genuinely urgent highlight this in the Subject field to draw attention to it. Also help the receiver by being polite, concise, factual and clear in what is it is you are expecting from them, including timescales. Better still highlight the urgency by following up with a phone call/face to face dialogue
• Copying: Think about who you are copying to and why!
• Confirmation: Do not use emails to negotiate or debate. Use them instead to record agreements reached to clarify and finalise.


Finally

• Remember Emails last forever!
• Virus check when sending AND receiving
• ALWAYS re-read your emails before sending and ask yourself the following:

- Is it professional?
- Subject title relevant?
- Has the correct salutation and closing greeting been used?
- Has it been spell checked?
- Is the format used appropriate?
- Content: Objective rather than subjective?
- Is the receiver clear on what they need to do next (if anything)
- Is the priority level correctly used (e.g. urgent/non-urgent)
- If it is a long email, have you summarised the key points at the beginning?
- Contact details included?
- HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU RECEIVED THIS EMAIL?