10 Tips for Effective Email Communication in the Workplace
8 Tips for Effective Email Communication
Have you noticed that there are different behaviours when it comes to emails at work? Some people prioritise results so will want brief messages with a subject line that gets to the point. They want a clear summary of what they need to know and a clear request for any action needed on their part. They want to know what’s in it for them. If these people are sending the email, it might seem terse and lack a greeting or closing.
Another group want to receive a message with energetic language. They will want to know who else is involved and if what is expected of them is fun. If these types of people are writing the email, the subject line might include an exclamation mark. In fact, there might be several exclamation points and an emoji or two in the body of the message. They might have a hard time ending the message because there’s just one more thing they thought of and want to share.
A third group prefer to receive a message that makes them feel needed and that suggests the activity will work better if more people are involved. They can be persuaded into joining by emphasising that they’ll be a part of something or making a difference. These team members will carefully design the email and tend towards more length. They are more likely to use a traditional letter format with a friendly greeting and closing. Their language will be courteous and respectful and will appreciate confirmation of your understanding of the message.
The fourth category want a straight-forward email with the purpose of the action, meeting dates, times, and length of commitment. For example, can they volunteer just for one task instead of a series of meetings – or do they have to participate in all? They can be persuaded by calling upon a need for their expertise. They will write emails that are more likely to include fact-filled bullet points or lengthy paragraphs. Before sending, this type of writer re-reads their message, may add more details, and spell-checks again – they also love attachments and if the email doesn’t contain all the information, they would expect an attachment.
Why effective email communication in the workplace is important
- There is a written record of all email correspondence: Unlike verbal communication, which can be easily forgotten or misinterpreted, email leaves behind a written record that can be referred back to at any time. This is especially useful in businesses where important decisions are made based on emails exchanged between employees and managers.
- It can be used to communicate effectively with large groups of people at once: Email is an excellent way to reach a large number of people all at once quickly. This is especially useful for businesses that need to send out regular updates or announcements to their employees, customers, or partners.
- Email is sent and received almost instantaneously: Email is one of the quickest and most efficient modern communication methods. Emails are typically delivered to the targeted individuals in a few seconds or less. As a result, employees and executives become more efficient and productive, allowing for fast solutions to any problem due to the constant flow of valuable data.
- It is affordable and easy to use: Compared to other communication tools like phone calls or snail mail, email is relatively cheap and easy to use. All you need is a computer with an internet connection and an email account.
- Email is highly flexible: Email can be used for various purposes, from sending out simple text messages to attaching large files and images. This flexibility makes it a versatile communication tool that can be used for a wide range of tasks.
- Email is available worldwide: Email can be accessed from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an internet connection. This makes it an ideal tool for businesses with employees who work remotely or are often on the go.
Effective email communication is vital for businesses because it is fast, affordable, easy to use, and highly flexible. It is also a great way to reach many people all at once. With email, businesses can quickly and easily communicate with employees, customers, partners, and other stakeholders from anywhere in the world.
Find the Right Time
As you send out emails to people, you may notice that your metrics change depending on the time. This is because many people don’t look at their emails every waking moment. Instead, they find time to check it throughout the day, so you need to find out the best time to send emails.
As you can see in these statistics, you’ll most likely get the highest open and click rates around 8 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. This means that you should try and send emails around these time frames so that more people will see them. If you send emails to friends or coworkers, then think about their schedules and send them close to the time that they would check their inboxes.
Sources:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-tips-effective-email-communication-adrian-close-assoc-cipd-
https://interobservers.com/effective-email-communication-in-the-workplace/
https://fleep.io/blog/effective-email-communication/