30 Rules Of Workplace Email Etiquette With Examples

Email has become an essential workplace communication tool, but when misused can lead to problematic situations.

I’m sure you have also heard of some problems caused or exacerbated by poor communication or other violations of the e-mail tag.

The lack of email etiquette can not only create problems at work but also tarnish your image and that of your department.

When exchanging emails, you should follow some basic rules of etiquette, especially in the workplace.

If you want to have a deeper sense of email etiquette through which you can demonstrate the respect you have towards your recipient and also pass your information in the best possible way, you can take an in-depth email etiquette course from Zoe Talent Solutions.

It is in this context that I want to share with you some tips that you can apply to improve your professional email communications.

Some seem to be a simple matter of logic, but you should also keep them in mind.

So, let’s go step by step.

A good email structure should have the following components:

1. The Call: A Must-Start an Email

It is so unthinkable to write a letter to a client, a colleague, or a friend without introducing it with an appeal.

An email is usually a short text and necessary to use some form of etiquette.

The protocol advises against following the title of civility by the last name.

For example – Hello, John. Assuming John is the last name.

Similarly, the formula of using “Madam,” seems cold.

However, it remains very pleasant to receive a personalized email.

When a word such as “Hello” precedes the title of civility, the full stop (dot) must be used.

For example: “Hello, sir.”

It is recommended to use “Hello”, followed by the first name of the recipient.

It is suggested to write “Sir,” “Dear Madam,” or “Dear Julie,” followed by a comma and not a full stop.

In addition, be sure to spell the recipient’s name correctly. 

Even in good faith, an error committed in the name of a person could be considered a personal attack by the recipient, which would give a negative tone to the email before even having approached the bottom.

There are commonly mispronounced words that can lead to wrong spelling, so you have to carefully select your words and proofread what you’ve written.

Greetings like “Hi” or “Hello” are reserved for friends and family members.

Similarly, you should not use a nickname or abbreviation of the first name (for example, Rob instead of Robert), unless you have the right to do so.

2. The Opening Salutation

Since greeting is the first word in your email, it must be polite and professional to capture the attention of your reader. Just like when you write an application letter, the tone is formal and respectable. 

Examples are:

• I hope this email finds you well.
• I hope your week is going fine.
• Hope you had a good night’s sleep.
• I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

However, if you are trying to do a follow-up, you could come up with examples such as:

• As we discussed earlier, I want to ask if the documents are ready.
• Can you provide me with an update on the documents requested?
• To follow up on the meeting we had on the 2^nd of December, is there any progress?

3. The Choice of An Email Address: A question of credibility

I cannot stress enough how important it is to choose an email address that does not look like a teenager’s joke!

Do not get me wrong, a joeblow28@gmail.com style address will not protect you from phishing anymore.

You can only control that by being cautious and disciplined about communicating your details to others.

A more important reason to have an appropriate email address is for swift identification. Your email address should allow recipients to identify you quickly.

It could consist of, for example, your last name and the first letter of your first name, or your full name and surname e.g., Johnkings100@gmail.com

4. The Subject Line of the Mention

The subject line is meant to give the recipient an idea of ​​the content of your email.

Most people quickly browse their inboxes and choose which messages to open based on the subject line.

It is therefore important that the subject line remains brief and reflects the message you want to communicate. e.g. Your Copywriting Project – Sales that give you 7 digits.

That being said, you should avoid using the subject line as a text message.

Someone once typed the entire brief email in the subject line and did not bother to write anything in the body of the email.

It is not only annoying but it can also be considered laziness and unprofessional.

If your email is short enough to be inserted into the subject line, it may be better to use a live conversation or a phone call to communicate your message. 

Writing a good email is one of the ways to have a good relationship with your clients in your workplace and it brings about good reviews depending on how well your emails are written.

This is why performance reviews are important

5. The Structure of Content

Since e-mail is used for short, concise communication, it is recommended that if your message is more than one page, you should send it as an attachment.

E-mails should be free of mistakes, and you should avoid the use of smileys, contractions, or colloquial speech such as

• pretty much
• ain’t
• gonna
• I’m

Similarly, you should avoid using text abbreviations in a business email unless you have an informal relationship with the recipient. 

6. Don’t Mix Up the Subjects of the Emails

You need to stick to a subject by email to make it easier to follow a conversation on a particular topic.

When you discuss a topic in various e-mail exchanges with different subject lines, it becomes difficult to keep track of it.

For example, do not include in the same email topics such as sick leave, marketing strategies for a new product launch, Project X updates, and feedback on a new pay system.

7. Double-check the Recipient

The email is designed so that the email address of your recipient is the first thing you write when you want to send an email message.

However, this procedure is not necessarily the right one to follow.

Here’s why: once your recipient’s email address is entered, if you click “Send”, accidentally or not, your message will be sent, whether complete or not.

That’s why I suggest you add your recipient’s email address after completing the message and checking that everything is in order.

It will also help you to crosscheck the email address to avoid sending your message to the wrong person.

8. Language

Since the way you communicate is as important as the message itself, here are some things you need to remember when you compose the body of your email to ensure that the message and the tone are good.

You must use clear and concise language to avoid confusion and unnecessary back-and-forth.

In indirect communication such as email, it is difficult to dispel misunderstandings and sometimes it takes long messages to be understood.

You should also take note of the writing style of the recipient and the use of language in his or her country.

The spellings of certain words in Britain are quite different from spellings in the United States.

9. Avoid Using Unnecessary Exclamations and Jokes

You don’t need to write a couple of exclamation marks to show how urgent or pressing the call to action is.

An email should be straight to the point without trying to overdo things.

You should also try to avoid humor that can be easily misinterpreted.

Something said funnily might not sound funny when written in text.

You will agree with me that this happens often when you have an informal chat with someone online.

If this can happen on social media platforms, then it can also be misinterpreted anywhere else.

I’m sure you don’t want your emails to be seen as some form of a joke.

Read: 20 incredibly easy ways to achieve customer satisfaction

10. Tone

It is also recommended to keep a friendly tone and avoid sending emotional messages.

This is especially important if you are angry with your supervisor or if a situation makes you unhappy or unhappy.  

In the same vein, you should refrain from using any phrase or proverb that can get lost in interpretation without the right tone and good facial expression.

This can have undesirable consequences.

Read: how to promote core values in the workplace 

11. Grammar rules and Adaptation

Try to stay calm and refrain from using capital letters to show how much your anger is great or how much emphasis you want to express.

Stick to grammar rules. Additionally, if you communicate often with someone, you must adapt to his style and tone.

For example, if this person sends you short e-mails, it may mean that she is busy; do not send long e-mails unless necessary.

If you need to send a long email, be sure to include a summary.

12. Urgency and Formatting

In addition to language and tone, there are other tips and tricks to keep in mind to improve your emails.

Give your e-mail a high priority only when it’s urgent. However, don’t use it too often.

By using this feature too often, it may become less valuable, and few people will take your messages seriously.

To avoid this, grab your recipient’s attention by choosing an eye-catching subject line.

Avoid formatting your message by using special fonts that you would not use in a regular letter.

The recipient may not have a system that can display the message as it appears on your own.

Whenever possible, use classic fonts like Times New Roman and Arial.

You should also use paragraphs to organize your ideas in your email. 

Take for example, you have a new brand you want to advertise in your business and there is a need for you to send emails to your clients to inform them about it, this kind of information is urgent and should be treated as one.

To increase awareness for your brand, your email must be written correctly.

13. Review

It is strongly recommended that you review and re-read your email before sending it.

If you send an e-mail full of spelling mistakes and sloppy language, the recipient might feel that you lack professionalism and are careless.

It could also tarnish the image of your ministry.

If you attach a document to your email, you must always mention it so that your recipient does not forget it.

For example – “I would be grateful if you read it ASAP and let me know if I forgot something”.

Additionally, if you mention an attachment in your email, make sure you do not forget to attach it.

14. CCs and BCCs

Regarding recipients, you should exercise caution when using CCs and BCCs.

The addresses you type in the “To” field are those of the people you want to take action with, but the ones you type in the Bcc field are those who you think should take note of the message, without necessarily acting.

Before adding colleagues to your Cc list, ask yourself if it is appropriate to do so.

Use the Bcc function only when you do not want other people to see who else the email was sent to.

Similarly, when replying to an email, use the “Reply All” feature only if you feel that everyone on the list needs to receive the email.

Avoid cluttering the inboxes of others with unsolicited communications.

Using them correctly can make your email easy to understand and grow your digital marketing agency if that is your line of business.

15. The Use of ITC and “Reply All.“

The “Invisible True Copy”, commonly known as the “BCC”, should always be used when your email has multiple recipients.

The BCC is used to avoid publicizing the email of your contacts without their consent.

The “Reply All” function, meanwhile, should be used only at the request of the sender and when the number of recipients is reasonable.

That is to say less than 10 recipients.

However, this only works for CC (copied publicly). If you have blind copied (BCC), the “Reply All” function will not be applicable.

Beyond that, it is ideal that the sender presents to all the recipients, in a single message, a report of the answers he has received.

16. The Final Salutation

How to conclude an email or other conversation affects the impression the recipient will have of you.

It is, therefore, good to finish with a courtesy form that corresponds to the tone and content of your email. Here are some that you can adopt:

General business emails:

• Friendships / All my love
• Accept the expression of my distinguished feelings
• Sincerely
• Yours / Best wishes / Best regards

You can also use informal formulas such as:

• Thank you.
• Have a nice day / a nice weekend / a nice holiday.
• Good day / Good evening.

This gives your recipient a pleasant feeling because everyone likes to see a good salutation and it makes them see you as someone with high quality.

To further understand this, read: how to improve business performance.

17. Signature

It is also recommended to add a signature at the end of your email.

Your recipient can learn more about you and have your contact information.

The signature usually includes your name, position, organization, and contact information. You don’t need to add your email address to your signature.

Most organizations have a policy on e-mail signing; do not forget to check the one from your employer.

Finally, the signature should include your first name and last name, the business address and telephone number to reach you, and your company logo.

You may also put a face to your name or your social media links.

All these can be made easier by using automatic email signature generators.

Why all this? It is to facilitate communication with your recipients.

If one of them wants to reach you quickly, he will have to go down to the bottom of your email to access all your contact information easily and quickly.

Your customers and employees will greatly appreciate it!

Example:

John Kings

Project Manager, Bootcamp Ltd. (linked to the website)

+10946573974

18. Confidentiality

Finally, remember that you cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality, as your employer may find it convenient to read the information sent through their electronic network.

Therefore, you should avoid sending personal information to or from your workplace even if your recipient is someone with whom you have a relationship outside of work.

In addition, e-mails from the Governments of some countries are subject to the Access to Information Act and may become part of the public domain as part of a request for information from a journalist or researcher.

A good thing to do is to assume your emails will be seen by all eyes. Hence, don’t write what will hurt others or what is not true. 

If you are a business owner, you should know the importance of confidentiality in business and how it can affect your performance if taken for granted.

You must have the qualities of a good business owner.

19. Respond to Your Emails

Good email courtesy demands that you respond to your emails. Don’t just read without getting back to the person who sent you the email.

If you are also the type that leaves your email unopened for a long time, you might eventually miss important information that is time-bound.

To avoid such occurrences, you could synchronize your emails with your phone so you can get to see them as they come in and categorize them as urgently important or not.

This will also avoid delays and unnecessary backlogs in the workplace. You might have always received an email by mistake.

It is appropriate to respond to the sender by letting them know you received their emails by mistake.

For instance, if you have an important real estate business investment to make and you know that you will receive a message from your client or colleague, then you must always check your email, so you do not miss any information.

This will also help the sender to trace back the right person the email should be for.

20. Use Grammarly

Grammarly, when used as an extension on your personal computer, can help you read errors you might have skipped.

It underlines the errors and suggests possible replacements.

The icon (G) changes from red to green when your email is error-free.

You can also upgrade to a premium version if you need additional services such as vocabulary enhancement and plagiarism check.

I hope this helps you to begin a revamp of your email structure.

Which of the tips have you been practicing?

21. Keep your email address professional and brief

The email address is email etiquette 001.

If you work for a company, always use the email address they provide for work interactions.

Organizational email addresses should be brief, simple, and unforgettable.

Create a formal email address that incorporates your first name or a combination of your first and last name if you respond to professional emails outside of work.

In addition, you can use one or two numeric values in your email address, like jamesbond007@domain.com.

In your email address, avoid using unusual signs.

Using a professional email address creates a perception, brand image, and integrity and is good email etiquette.

22. Ensure your subject line is clear, brief, and specific

The email’s subject line informs the recipient of the email’s content.

As a result, you must include a straightforward subject line that gets to the essence of your email and provides a reason for the recipient to open it.

You are almost certain to gain the attention you desire from your recipient if your subject line is concise and specific.

Subject lines should be no more than 50 characters long, or between six and ten words. They must also be precise.

Examples of subject lines:

• Careers that make a difference in people’s lives
• Technology talent: the critical challenge
• “Month” Articles- if you write articles monthly.
• Sunday Review
• The stress-free way to invest.
• Expert session reminder
• New price list for AB product.
• Quick question about your presentation

Don’t ever send an email without adding a subject line. It’s a clear breach of email convention. The recipient will almost certainly discard your message if it contains the words “No subject.”

23. Stick to classic fonts and formatting

Another important aspect of email etiquette is to use standard font and formatting. This will help to formalize your email.

It is best to use only one font when writing an email.

Font sizes between 10 and 12 points are generally recommended. Classic fonts like Times New Roman and Arial are ideal for corporate emails.

Although it may appear monotonous, black is the most secure and easiest-to-read color option.

Text formattings, such as highlighting and the use of bold, italics, and underlining, should be reduced to the bare minimum.

Never bold or italicize more than one word or a small group of words in a single email.

The primary guideline is that your emails must be simple to read.

24. Maintain a warm and professional tone

The way you say something is more crucial than what you say. Another important aspect of good email etiquette is to keep a professional tone in your emails.

You have to treat the recipient or customer professionally as it makes your message easy to comprehend without any confusion.

Make a real effort to appear positive since you can’t rely on your facial gestures to convey your message.

So, choose your words carefully considering how well the recipient might perceive them.

When sending an email at work, refrain from using humor. It’s an important email etiquette rule. Only use humor around people you are familiar with.

Be courteous, precise, and professional when sending emails. These principles haven’t changed.

25. Avoid writing in all CAPS

Writing in all caps may give the impression that you are unnecessarily overemphasizing. Emails with all capital letters would be rejected even by spam filters.

Therefore, using all caps to communicate via email is typically inappropriate.

A clear exception would be if you were to use abbreviations like ASAP (As Soon As Possible), FYI (For Your Information), etc.

26. Ensure your email is error-free before sending it

Among the most important workplace email etiquette mistakes are skipping the proofreading step.

Occasionally an email will inevitably contain a spelling or grammar error, but if this happens frequently, it can be problematic.

It gives the impression that you are careless and unprofessional about your work.

To avoid having your message overshadowed by spelling or grammar mistakes, read your email aloud after you’ve finished writing it.

It’s best to read it aloud because sometimes your ears will pick up on details that your eyes will pass over.

Keep in mind that you cannot undo an email.

If you must send an email right away because you are pressed for time, you can review it afterward and apologize professionally if there is a mistake

Using automatic correction software and services like Grammarly is a good way to ensure that your writing is error-free.

Grammarly is free software that checks every piece of writing you produce for grammatical and spelling errors.

In addition, you must check and review the recipient’s address. You don’t want to accidentally email the incorrect recipient.

One simple way to adhere to this email etiquette is to include the recipient’s email address at the end.

27. Use a formal Email Signature

An excellent way to introduce yourself to others is through your email signature.

This will make your emails appear more credible and professional.

Your email signature could be thought of as the modern-day version of your business card.

Email signatures should be kept to a minimum.

One of the rules of email etiquette in the workplace is that you should only include your name, primary contact information, location, and possibly a website link.

28. Promptly respond to emails

Even though it can be challenging, it’s polite to at least attempt to respond to every email you receive. You should respond within 24 hours according to professional email etiquette.

You should respond more quickly, ideally within an hour, if you work in a customer-facing position like revenues, promotion, or support.

It’s polite to acknowledge that you received an email but promise to get back to the sender later if it’s lengthy or complex and will take you some time to process.

Nobody enjoys being ignored!

Read: 26 Innovative ideas to improve customer experience

29. URLs should be shortened or hyperlinked

Another simple email etiquette practice is to shorten lengthy URLs. Pasting the full URL into your email consumes space and appears crowded.

Try to make the URL shorter or, even better, add hyperlinks.

You can use Bitly, for instance, which is a free URL-shortening tool. It will enhance the professionalism and clarity of your email.

For example;

• Unprofessional; Check this out https://explicitsuccess.com/how-to-restart-career-after-long-break/
• Professional; Check out this article on how to restart a career after a long break.

Yes, there is proper email etiquette for closing out a message.

Your email closings reveal a great deal about you.

30. Sign off in a respectful and professional manner

The final line of your email that your recipient will read is the sign-off. Make sure that your sign-off fits the context of your message. Consider the following examples.

• “Best”/” Best Regards”,
• “Looking forward to meeting with you”,
• “Eager to work around your schedule”,
• “Thank you in advance for your time”,
• “Thank you and please let me know if there are any delays”,
• “Speak with you soon”, and so on.

Using the correct sign-off is one strategy to improve productivity in business.

Conclusion

There are many things to consider when it comes to email etiquette at work because email in the workplace is a reality.

This implies that you must learn how to use email efficiently, especially if you want people to read your emails as opposed to deleting them.

An email is a valuable tool for connectivity and the way technology increases productivity in the workplace. These email etiquette rules for the workplace will get you off to a great start.