10 golden rules of email etiquette
This article was reviewed by Stan Kats and by wikiHow staff writer, Annabelle Reyes. Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California https://quickspin-software.com/. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan’s Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,013 times.
When you are networked to someone on a website like Facebook or LinkedIn, you may be given privileged access to information about him or her and what he or she shares. You need to ensure you do not breach anyone’s wishes by sharing any of the content they have made available to you. It is also worth mentioning that you should not use anyone else’s computers, mobile devices or accounts without their permission.
Continue to make real people a priority while in public places such as restaurants, public transit, stores, elevators, and libraries. You can do this by not having phone conversations when in these shared spaces, as well as by silencing your audible notifications.
In this digital age, the Internet is a pretty unavoidable part of everyday life. And, because we interact with others online so much, it’s especially important to be aware of digital etiquette, also called “netiquette.” If you want to learn more about what digital etiquette is and how to follow it, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll go over the basic rules of digital etiquette, and we’ll also explain how to teach it to your children if you’re a parent. Keep reading for everything you need to know!
Rules of etiquette
Some companies boast that they are “one big family,” but while that’s a lovely sentiment, you should not treat management and co-workers like close friends, says Parker. This is especially true if you’re considering adding your boss on Facebook or other social media platforms. “Keep your personal life personal,” Parker says. If you have a public profile, you may want to consider making it private, depending on the field you work in, she adds. “There are too many examples of people working in teaching, nursing and government jobs getting fired for what they post on social media.”
It can feel awkward, time consuming or tricky to say goodbye at a social event, so it’s understandable that you might want to duck out unnoticed, like an Irish exit. While that may be OK in certain situations, at a formal or small event, resist the temptation and instead take the time to say goodbye and express thanks to at least the host. Otherwise, they may feel upset or worried when they realize you’re not there. You can be firm with your boundary of leaving while still being polite, Sokolosky adds.
It really boils down to this: Etiquette is about people, not policies. “Good manners are all about helping people, including yourself, feel comfortable no matter the situation,” explains etiquette expert Lisa Grotts, founder of the Golden Rules Gal. “Instead of enforcing arbitrary ‘old-school’ rules or what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong,’ etiquette is about following guidelines that lead to greater respect, cooperation and understanding.”
Some companies boast that they are “one big family,” but while that’s a lovely sentiment, you should not treat management and co-workers like close friends, says Parker. This is especially true if you’re considering adding your boss on Facebook or other social media platforms. “Keep your personal life personal,” Parker says. If you have a public profile, you may want to consider making it private, depending on the field you work in, she adds. “There are too many examples of people working in teaching, nursing and government jobs getting fired for what they post on social media.”
It can feel awkward, time consuming or tricky to say goodbye at a social event, so it’s understandable that you might want to duck out unnoticed, like an Irish exit. While that may be OK in certain situations, at a formal or small event, resist the temptation and instead take the time to say goodbye and express thanks to at least the host. Otherwise, they may feel upset or worried when they realize you’re not there. You can be firm with your boundary of leaving while still being polite, Sokolosky adds.
10 golden rules of email etiquette
You’d think all this practise would make us all experts in the art of email communication, yet many professionals are still getting it wrong. The accidental “reply all” on a private email surely happens more often than HR departments would like to deal with. And how many times have you received an email that is irrelevant, inappropriate or aggressive?
2) Know who’s receiving your message. Don’t “Reply All” if you don’t know who’s included, or you might be corresponding with someone you shouldn’t. We know of an e-mail invitation to a retirement party that included the company’s CEO. Everyone who responded chose to reply to all. After the 100th response cluttered his e-mail box, the CEO had the party’s sponsor fired. Which brings us to our next rule…
Include a signature block: A professional email signature should have your full name, job title, company website, and contact information. A clean, well-designed signature block helps reinforce your professionalism.
5) Double-check before you hit “send.” Run a spell-checker, and read the message over for grammar and clarity. Electronic mail is the business letter of the 90s, and sloppy correspondence reflects badly on you and your company.
