WORK EMAIL ETIQUETTE

Modalities of everyday communication keep widening as new options become available. Human interaction is getting a lot 'easier' because advancements in technology have really shrunk the world in the last two decades or so.

The language of communication also varies from relationship to relationship, and can be affected by which platform premise we're interacting on - social or business/work.

Let's talk about the work email and those easily overlooked do's and don'ts which can either salvage or ruin a simple communication channel.

1. Read it again and again - Before clicking on the 'send' button, ensure you go through your mail at least twice to see if there are any typos, grammatical gaffes, or maybe to ensure that the recipient bar contains thè correct address(es).

2. Keep it short - Many people are averse to verbose emails. Keep it neat, brief and to the point.

3. Use catchy subject lines - Remember that your email's heading is the first thing that the recipient sees on getting your email. It should not arouse too much curiosity, but should be interesting enough to pull the reader in.

4. Refrain from trafficking hoaxes - It is always tempting to share intriguing but unsubstantiated stuff via email. Avoid this at all times. It irritates people.

5. Stay sterile - There are so many available antivirus software. Since emails are a robust vehicle for transmitting these internet germs, seek good antivirus protection always.

6. Whenever you are compelled to use the 'forward' button, it is important that the new recipients be made aware of why they are being included in the trail. Your simple explanation should be at the very top of the mail.

7. Always acknowledge mails - Do not take it for granted that the sender knows you've gotten their mail. Emails could get 'lost' or be eaten up by an overzealous spam bin. A short, polite reply should suffice

8. Rules of Attachment - Are you one of those in the habit of sending massive attachments with your emails? No one may be able to stop you, but you must seek your recipient's permission before doing that. It would also be nice if the attached files are compressed.

9. We all need to remember some basic 'writing rules'. Nobody is suggesting you have to be a grammar oracle, but please pay more than a passing attention to things as basic as punctuation marks - colon, semicolon, comma, hyphen, fulstop etc.

Also, as much as possible, avoid acronyms, street slang, ironies and sarcasm in business mails.