Email is one of many available communication technologies in the workplace, but it is not always the most appropriate one. When considering the method of communication, consider your message, your audience's likely reaction to the information, and the size of your audience. In general, email is good for positive or neutral news and sharing information. Sometimes other methods of communication (face-to-face, phone, instant messaging, video conferencing, etc.) may be more appropriate. Show
Types of email in the workplaceThere are two primary types of email in the workplace:
Essential email componentsHelpful tip: Conventionally, email components should be left-justified (i.e., not indented). The exception is for bulleted or numbered lists, which should be offset in order to make it easier for the reader to see important information. An important design concept in workplace communication is graphic highlighting, which means that you should use white space and bulleted/numbered lists to make important or detailed information easier to access. Emails are meant to be concise, so you should avoid lengthy sentences and paragraphs. Subject lineThe subject line of your email should offer your reader the purpose of the email, but it should also be brief. If your subject line is vague, people may ignore your email, or it may be sent to the junk/spam folder.
GreetingChoosing a greeting may appear to be an easy task, but you have to gauge the appropriate level of formality. Emailing a coworker with whom you are friends to ask a brief question is different from emailing your supervisor with a work-related request. Below are some greetings that straddle different levels of formality: More formal:
Less formal:
BodyDepending on how your audience will react to the information in your email, you will need to decide whether to structure your email body using the direct or indirect method of communication. Either way, paragraphs in an email, when there is more than one, should be clear and concise. They are generally much shorter than paragraphs in an academic essay, for example. The Direct Method of CommunicationExcept in the cases listed below, use the direct method of communication when constructing an email. This method is used when your reader is already informed about the subject and/or will already be supportive of the information provided. The content of your email will provide the following pieces of information, in this order:
The Indirect Method of CommunicationWhile you want to avoid delivering really bad news by email (face-to-face is the preferred method for sensitive subjects), if you are delivering information that your reader may not immediately support or that they need to be educated about, your email should be structured according to the indirect method of communication. This gives the reader time to consider rationale or background before encountering the main message:
General Tip: The level of formality in your tone will vary based on the recipient of your message. In general, emails in the workplace are less formal than academic writing but more formal than spoken conversation. While first-person references and contractions are usually acceptable in emails, Sign-offAs with the greeting, you need to choose an appropriate sign-off for your audience: More formal:
Less formal:
Sample emailThe following example represents a standard request and reply email in the workplace. Note that because this news would likely be seen as either neutral or positive, the writer has chosen to use the direct method of communication. What is the most important part of a bad news message?An explanation of the bad news is the most important part of a negative message because it prepares the reader for the refusal or denial – but it does NOT explicitly state the bad news yet.
When a message contains good and bad news which order should be used?In those situations, present the good news first, using direct order. Th en present the bad news using indirect order. Give the reasons for the bad news; then state the bad news itself. Use of the direct-indirect approach increases the chance that the receiver will understand the message and accept its outcome.
What are the most prominent parts of a message?The most prominent parts of a message are the salutation and complimentary closing.
What three aspects of bad news should you consider when deciding how to deliver the message?It should recognize how the bad news affects the recipient. It should show true concern. discuss steps that can be taken to overcome the current situation. take a positive tone as you discuss solutions.
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