Everything that starts with E ... > Reviews (342)

Love them or loathe them, email messages are an essential part of many people’s working day. We don’t need to be reminded how they have revolutionised communication around the world, how ‘@’ has become as common a symbol as the ‘$’, ‘£’ or ‘&’. Despite this there are still plenty of days when I wish that I was still a waiter, when the closest I got to a computer or email was when I was punching in a guest’s order on MICROS. Here are a few reasons why for me, email still very much remains a mixed blessing:

1.‘No Subject’

Come on, I mean you wouldn’t write a book and not give it a title, would you? It’s really frustrating to come into work in the morning and find an Outlook inbox full of ‘no subjects’. Arguably not the most serious of email crimes (nor it is my number one peeve), but I am a firm believer that email carries a certain expectation of professionalism. Subjects help me file emails effectively as well, so it isn’t just about being picky. Invest in the extra few seconds and give your email some meaning!

2.Emailing the world and its wife

If the email is nothing to do with me, then I don’t know- and don’t care. Contrary to an apparent popular belief, banging out an email to the whole office / floor / workplace / company does not make one look like they are ‘hard-working’, ‘communicative’ or ‘thorough’. It makes these people appear as disorganised, ignorant and possessing a distinct lack of organisational awareness. Two words: ‘Distribution lists’.

3. Spelling and grammar

‘Text speak’ is so called because it belongs in text messages, not emails. At work, I believe that email commands business language, full sentences and use of that little button called ‘Spell Check’. Working in a hotel, where I get many emails a day from people who are simply not fluent in English, I do keep an open mind. However, it is always clear to see who has taken the time to proof-read an email and who hasn’t.

4. Important?

Aah, the little red ‘!’ next to an email message. Many work environments- including my own- see certain managers receiving 100’s of internal emails every day. Other employees feel that the only way to get their message noticed is to ‘!’ it. Why this annoys me is that every morning when I am on Outlook, Starbucks in hand, scanning through my emails (a horrible morning ritual) I have to look twice as hard to check what requires urgent attention. To tell you the truth, nowadays I see ‘!’ on so many messages it has lost all meaning, a bit like The Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf’.

5. Email essays

I have written much so far about email ‘professionalism’ and at the end of the day, I guess that this is the bottom line. However, there are many emailers out there who take this little word to the very extreme. I am referring of course, to those ‘Shakespeares’ of the corporate world; who will regularly send emails which will be hundreds- maybe thousands- of words long. Trust me, the message will become lost in meaning, many will simply not read it and in over five years of receiving such messages, I have never seen a 1000 word+ email that couldn’t have been effectively communicated in much briefer prose.

6. 4gb of attachments

This is a personal pet peeve; I am not sure how many people will agree with me on this one. Working in a hotel, we are too poor to afford fast computers or factory-sized data storage. Therefore, when someone decides to send across a video, massive PowerPoint presentation or a whole album of photos (usually security footage of someone stealing wine) then it usually causes my ancient PC to implode, or results in me receiving an angry email from a regional IT rep telling me to clean out my inbox. Whatever the attachment it, whack it onto USB and pass it to me in person. Speaking of which...

7. Use your legs or pick up the phone

I am under no doubt that email has caused many workers become infinitely lazier, and in some cases, less confident. Email has provided offices with a platform to avoid face to face conversation. How many times has someone decided to send a critical or ‘bad news’ email last thing before they leave for the day, so they don’t have to see a reply? For me, this smacks of cowardice. In a fast-paced environment such as a hotel, I am a firm believer that if you need a quick answer, the ‘personal touch’ can’t be beat. Go for a walk to the person you were going to email, or give them a call! Hey presto, instant results- much better.

8. Spamalot

Spam requires very little explanation as to why it annoys me. Spam filters are not always 100% effective which makes filtering emails so much more frustrating than it needs to be.

9. Not spamalot

Sometimes, spam filters are a little too good! I have lost so many external emails which I needed simply because they were ‘junked’ instead. Still, I blame spam in general, not the filters!

10. Stupid email names

Sometimes I really don’t understand how some people’s mind works. As a recruiter, I pick up many emails a day from jobseekers, but from classic email addresses as ‘deathtoall666@.....’, ‘steve_is_scarface@...’ and my personal favourite: ‘giveusajobdude@..’. In a world of first impressions, these have to be some of the best.

Final thoughts

I am unashamedly old-fashioned when it comes to professional emailing, and if someone at work frequently flouts these peeves then I will be pinging a note back or speaking to them, offering them feedback on how they can improve. Seems a bit harsh? Well, I’m not the only one to take this view at work. Everyone in the workplace has a ‘personal brand’, and emailing is one representation of this brand. An email can form a first impression, it can cause offense even if slightly worded the wrong way; basically it is a tangible, written-down affirmation of you as a person.

On that note, I recommend to everyone- make each and every email you ever write, a good one.