E-mail & “Netiquette” Re: how to be an e-professional….

What’s e-mail netiquette? “ Netiquette” is a contraction of “Internet etiquette.” Today, we have to be as professional through e-mail as we would be in person. In fact, we have to be extra careful and polished through e-mail & on the Internet for many reasons: It’s more difficult to imply emotional intent (i.e., tone). It’s easier to make abhorrent mistakes we cannot take back. (‘Send’ means SENT!) E-mail and text messaging often encourages others to be informal, casual, and to assume privacy.

“ Netiquette” is a contraction of “Internet etiquette.”

Today, we have to be as professional through e-mail as we would be in person.

In fact, we have to be extra careful and polished through e-mail & on the Internet for many reasons:

It’s more difficult to imply emotional intent (i.e., tone).

It’s easier to make abhorrent mistakes we cannot take back. (‘Send’ means SENT!)

E-mail and text messaging often encourages others to be informal, casual, and to assume privacy.

Why is email etiquette important? We all interact with the printed word as though it has a personality and that personality makes positive and negative impressions upon us. Without immediate feedback your document can easily be misinterpreted by your reader, so it is crucial that you follow the basic rules of etiquette to construct an appropriate tone.

We all interact with the printed word as though it has a personality and that personality makes positive and negative impressions upon us.

Without immediate feedback your document can easily be misinterpreted by your reader, so it is crucial that you follow the basic rules of etiquette to construct an appropriate tone.

It’s not just WORK E-MAIL Yes, the following thumb-rules applies to our work, professional e-mail. (These are probably good ideas for your personal e-mail as well.) And you must also be professional through: Text messaging Instant Messaging Personal cell phone Portal forums, blogs, discussion rooms Work Voice-mail.

Yes, the following thumb-rules applies to our work, professional e-mail.

(These are probably good ideas for your personal e-mail as well.)

And you must also be professional through:

Text messaging

Instant Messaging

Personal cell phone

Portal forums, blogs, discussion rooms

Work Voice-mail.

General e-mail etiquette Do not type IN ALL CAPS … - Some people feel it “sounds like shouting.” Do not type in all lower case… - It may be okay with friends, but it’s unprofessional to not respect standard grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. 3. Similarly, do not use any abbreviations not typically found in formal business letters or articles.

Do not type IN ALL CAPS …

- Some people feel it “sounds like shouting.”

Do not type in all lower case…

- It may be okay with friends, but it’s unprofessional to not respect standard grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.

3. Similarly, do not use any abbreviations not typically found in formal business letters or articles.

Sending e-mail If responding to everybody, please make your response is worthwhile to everybody… That is, do not click “reply all” unless your response concerns everybody on the e-mail list. In the subject field, write a summary statement of the e-mail, and/or action. Do not leave the subject field blank! … Especially when sending an attachment. Describe what the attachment is about… And make sure the attachment is clean of viruses. … E-mails with attachments notoriously end up in Junk Mail Folders… so follow up and/or notify by telephone. Do not send company documents to those outside the organization, not explicitly authorized to receive company-developed documents.

If responding to everybody, please make your response is worthwhile to everybody… That is, do not click “reply all” unless your response concerns everybody on the e-mail list.

In the subject field, write a summary statement of the e-mail, and/or action.

Do not leave the subject field blank!

… Especially when sending an attachment.

Describe what the attachment is about…

And make sure the attachment is clean of viruses.

… E-mails with attachments notoriously end up in Junk Mail Folders… so follow up and/or notify by telephone.

Do not send company documents to those outside the organization, not explicitly authorized to receive company-developed documents.

More e-mail sending etiquette Do not send too many e-mails to the same person in one-day; rather, summarize your thoughts and send a few. Always include your alternate professional contact information with your professional e-mail signature. Do not include controversial quotations, unprofessional imagery, etc. in your professional e-mail signature. Do not forward chain letters and non-work related requests through company e-mail, to co-workers or to friends (using work e-mail). Do not make statements which may be insensitive, or require sarcastic or humorous interpretation. Smiley faces and other “emoticons” are not professional 

Do not send too many e-mails to the same person in one-day; rather, summarize your thoughts and send a few.

Always include your alternate professional contact information with your professional e-mail signature.

Do not include controversial quotations, unprofessional imagery, etc. in your professional e-mail signature.

Do not forward chain letters and non-work related requests through company e-mail, to co-workers or to friends (using work e-mail).

Do not make statements which may be insensitive, or require sarcastic or humorous interpretation.

Smiley faces and other “emoticons” are not professional 

E-mail privacy Unless you intend to share e-mail addresses, most people appreciate you respecting their e-mail address privacy: Hide them on the BCC: field (blind carbon copy), not on TO or CC: Everything said in e-mails is “on the record” … and archived. E-mail in the workplace should be monitored by management; company policy applies to e-mail as well… Do not engage in unethical behavior, or e-mail comments that can be construed as such. Sending unsolicited e-mails to anybody (outside the office) you do not know personally is considered “spam” or junk e-mail (which is illegal, and annoying). Begin an e-mail as politely as you would a formal business letter, e.g. begin with salutations (for example, “Good Morning”) and end with a proper closing (for example, “Thank you”).

Unless you intend to share e-mail addresses, most people appreciate you respecting their e-mail address privacy: Hide them on the BCC: field (blind carbon copy), not on TO or CC:

Everything said in e-mails is “on the record” … and archived.

E-mail in the workplace should be monitored by management; company policy applies to e-mail as well…

Do not engage in unethical behavior, or e-mail comments that can be construed as such.

Sending unsolicited e-mails to anybody (outside the office) you do not know personally is considered “spam” or junk e-mail (which is illegal, and annoying).

Begin an e-mail as politely as you would a formal business letter, e.g. begin with salutations (for example, “Good Morning”) and end with a proper closing (for example, “Thank you”).

Receiving e-mail Check your e-mail frequently through the everyday. Turn off the chime for new messages, in your e-mail inbox settings. It may be disturbing to others nearby. It will distract your concentration & focus. Check your junk e-mail folder often. Important e-mails may end up there accidentally. Respond to the sender as quickly as stated in the e-mail, or as expected. Do not check your e-mail (or text messages) during business meetings (unless work-related and/or urgent). Do not open unsolicited attachments, unless you know its contents.

Check your e-mail frequently through the everyday.

Turn off the chime for new messages, in your e-mail inbox settings.

It may be disturbing to others nearby.

It will distract your concentration & focus.

Check your junk e-mail folder often.

Important e-mails may end up there accidentally.

Respond to the sender as quickly as stated in the e-mail, or as expected.

Do not check your e-mail (or text messages) during business meetings (unless work-related and/or urgent).

Do not open unsolicited attachments, unless you know its contents.

Website forum, blog, on-line profile etiquette Do not make any disparaging or offensive comments through our portal or any public forum. It is not appropriate to comment on HGA-Quest current, past, or future business in any public setting; refer all questions/inquiry to HR and/or our Communications departments. Do not host any lewd or offensive language or imagery on your workplace or any other public profiles. Do not invite any co-workers, vendors, or customers to your personal websites or on-line communities. Grammar, spelling, and proper language will always present you in the most professional manner. It is not appropriate to e-mail personal relationships, text message, instant message, or update your profiles during work hours.

Do not make any disparaging or offensive comments through our portal or any public forum.

It is not appropriate to comment on HGA-Quest current, past, or future business in any public setting; refer all questions/inquiry to HR and/or our Communications departments.

Do not host any lewd or offensive language or imagery on your workplace or any other public profiles.

Do not invite any co-workers, vendors, or customers to your personal websites or on-line communities.

Grammar, spelling, and proper language will always present you in the most professional manner.

It is not appropriate to e-mail personal relationships, text message, instant message, or update your profiles during work hours.

“ Netiquette” helps us all… By following these simple thumb-rules you will convey your professionalism. Your professionalism reflects well during your review process, as well as on your whole team, department, and organization. Enjoy showing off your personality as you practice good “netiquette.” And encourage your colleagues & friends to do the same! Don’t assume they’ve taken a course on it! Consult your Employee Handbook and Human Resources with your specific professionalism & etiquette questions.

By following these simple thumb-rules you will convey your professionalism.

Your professionalism reflects well during your review process, as well as on your whole team, department, and organization.

Enjoy showing off your personality as you practice good “netiquette.”

And encourage your colleagues & friends to do the same!

Don’t assume they’ve taken a course on it!

Consult your Employee Handbook and Human Resources with your specific professionalism & etiquette questions.

THE CORE RULES OF NETIQUETTE The Core Rules of Netiquette are excerpted from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea. Click on each rule for elaboration. Rule 1: Remember the Human Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth Rule 5: Make yourself look good online Rule 6: Share expert knowledge Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy Rule 9: Don't abuse your power Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes

The Core Rules of Netiquette are excerpted from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea. Click on each rule for elaboration.

Rule 1: Remember the Human

Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life

Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace

Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth

Rule 5: Make yourself look good online

Rule 6: Share expert knowledge

Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control

Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy

Rule 9: Don't abuse your power

Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes