How to Practice Good Phone and E-mail Etiquette at Work
How can we put this in a way you'll understand? Sending LOLs to your BFFs on company time is not KEWL.
Up next in Business Etiquette (10 videos)
Minding your manners is especially important when work and career are involved. Brush up on business etiquette with this Howcast video series.
You Will Need
- A job
- An email account
- A phone with voice mail
- Some common sense
Steps
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Step 1
Remember you're at work
First and foremost, remember you're at work. Now is not the time to call or email your long lost frat brothers, ex-girlfriends, or bookie.
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Step 2
Don't use speakerphone
Don';t use your speakerphone unless it's completely necessary. Otherwise, it's just obnoxious.
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Remember: background noise can be heard when you're on a conference call from home—and that includes toast popping, kettles whistling, and toilets flushing.
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Step 3
Keep voice mail short
When leaving a voice mail, keep it short—you are not auditioning for Hamlet. Just provide the essentials: your name, your number, and a BRIEF reason for calling.
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Have your message ready before you call. Nothing is more annoying than listening to someone stammer while they try to formulate a coherent thought. And remember to enunciate so the person doesn't have to replay your message 25 times.
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Step 4
Include simple subject line
Always include a simple, straightforward description in your email subject line so its recipient can quickly assess if it's important, and easily relocate it later.
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Step 5
Be careful with email
Remember that an email doesn't convey a context the way your gestures, expressions, and tone of voice would. What you write in a playful way may come across as harsh or insulting to your reader.
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Always spell-check your email before hitting 'send'; It's easy, and may just save you a lot of embarrassment.
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Step 6
Include explanation when forwarding
Forwarding an email to a co-worker? Always include a brief explanation so they're not left to ponder what you may want from them. If you're totally swamped, at least include "FYI"
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Eighty-two percent of what you communicate on the phone is non-verbal—in other words, what you say is far less important than how you say it.
