Monday

Emotional Workplace Emails

They are irritated, demanding, and just plain rude, peers, team leads, managers, business owners, etc. who email their emotions.  The email content isn't so much about the workflow process, who is scheduled to do what, or what is up and coming, but the negative communication with emotions attached or not at times says far more than necessary.  Check out the following examples based on real life workplace email communication:

What is this?  Really?  Who are you talking about?  I don't know what you mean...

How might the above come across if you really need a favor from someone or you want them to continue to be on your team?

Thanks Sally! cc: Ron, Bob, John, Tim, Elizabeth...

Does everyone really need to know just how much you appreciate Sally?

I thought I communicated this to you already.  Duh?  Do you need a vacation?

Insults?  Hmmm. Let's keep this email on file in case we need to share with H.R.

When I re-entered the workforce some years ago, I was surprised at how much workers solely rely on Outlook Calendar, Email, etc.  I mean whatever happened to picking up the phone to confirm or get clarification on some things?  So when the demand to "just email me" came in like a flood, I couldn't help but wonder was this the end of good ole fashion offline communication?

For many workplaces, email is all they ever do anymore and so with increase email volume so too is the likelihood that high importance emails will be overlooked, incorrectly forwarded to the wrong people, deleted, and written offensively too.  Throw in all the cc: or bcc: this one and that one too even when people don't have a clue as to what your department does much less who are you and now confusion amongst staff also increases too.

So the emotional emails, those ones that have words in all caps, sentences in red, misspells and abbreviated words due to angry emotions coming faster than words can type...and before long someone is going to make more foes than friends.

A straightforward, brief email comes across as someone with an attitude if there isn't a smile or two or some jovial comment.  But then you can come off as flighty maybe a bit strange with too many emoji's :)(:

From the irritation to the demands communicated in email in so many disrespectful ways, it isn't any wonder why people end up not saying too much offline to one another.  Most often people say things online they would never dare say to someone's face anyway.  Besides, how can you verbalize something that offline sounds petty even though it isn't?  "I was really upset about your straightforward, nonchalant comment with no smile or a bit of humor demanding that I do something..." or "What did you mean when you asked me about ABC, but you said it with abbreviated words, red lettering, and didn't ask the question like you even liked me much less respected me?'

Then of course there are those emails where someone has to let everyone know "Welcome...Great job...Thank you!"  Does the whole team really need to know every other day or daily how much the supervisor loves their favorite people...so much for teamwork, building team morale, or being a team player.

Watch those emotional workplace emails they might make or break you--ask Hillary.

Have a great day and by the way don't be goofing off in the break room! but then again...maybe without the red lettering and the smart comment.  How about Have a wonderful day! :) I sincerely mean it. or what about nothing at the end but just your name and a call me to further discuss meeting details. Perfect.

Nicholl McGuire