Teach your staff email etiquette

Aug. 28, 2012 - PRLog -- Some fascinating research shows the attitudes and approaches to email overload by directors and managers for the top Fortune 1000 companies.

The issues surrounding email are still the same as ever – email is not going away – and those who call for a total email ban at work are clearly missing the point.

It is only by improving email etiquette and insisting on adherence to an agreed and published email policy that email will be used effectively within an organisation.

Respondents to a recent work related email perception study funnily enough entitled “Enough Already! Stop Bad Email” identified their top 5 issues with work-related emails as:
1) Excessive back-and-forth replies
2) Using email when a meeting/phone call is more appropriate
3) Unnecessary use of “reply all”
4) Poorly written emails that lack clarity
5) Copying others unnecessarily

Emailogic research over the past 13 years shows that training has a significant impact on all of the above behaviours.

Just read some of the quotes received from users who have attended email etiquette training in the past month:

“I can identify my colleagues who have undergone email etiquette training by their emails (or lack of them) – as if they are wearing a badge.”

“Best ever training. It makes so much sense and gives you the freedom to do the important things!”

“I now spend less time managing my emails and more time doing my job.”

“Good course – makes you realise that a lot can be achieved in how you word your emails”

“I now use phone/face to face contact more instead. I think about relevance more.”

“Email now feels totally different… I feel more in control and less stressed.”

Why not offer your staff email etiquette training?