E-mail Etiquette for Employees and Execs

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Use content filters.
There's software that can be installed on corporate e-mail systems that automatically "quarantines" e-mails based on the words in the message. Such technology can help companies and their employees from disclosing sensitive material — trade secrets, confidential information or even illicit content.

While content filters can help, ultimately, safe e-mailing relies upon the creator of the message.

Flynn suggests that corporate e-mailers "compose themselves before they compose their message. What you want to do is make sure your e-mail is a reflection upon your individual professionalism and your company's credibility."

As a further guide, Flynn says e-mailers should use what she calls "the lesson of the three Cs."

"Imagine you're in an elevator with colleagues, clients and competitors," said Flynn. "Would what I'm about to write in this e-mail be something I would willingly say out loud if I was in the elevator with those three Cs?"

Always proofread before sending.
"What you want to do is make sure your e-mail is a reflection upon your individual professionalism and your company's credibility," said Flynn. "You want to make sure it's every bit the well-written and polished piece of prose as anything you would distribute in hard copy."

She says it's better to be slow and safe with a thoughtful e-mail than sorry about a swiftly sent memo.

"Once it's gone, it's gone," said Flynn. "Even if you send a follow-up message to say 'please ignore my last message,' you're at the mercy of the reader."

What Not to Do

Don't use e-mail exclusively. Flynn often consults executives and managers to not hide behind e-mail or other forms of "distant" communication.

"As a manager, you don't want to use e-mail to the exclusion of personal contact like one-on-one meetings and phone calls," she said. "Co-workers, clients, customers — they all crave human interaction."

Don't discuss personal or personnel matters.
"As a worker, you want to try and keep personal e-mail — anything that involves medical information, finances — out of the office system," Flynn said. "As a manager, you never want to use e-mail to discuss employee's performances — good or bad."

Both workers and executives need to remember that putting such information in a corporate e-mail is akin to putting it on public record.

Don't run on.
Keep messages no longer than a page on the computer screen. Flynn says it's OK to trim lengthy reply chains — say, a progress report on a certain project — as long as the information in the subject line isn't changed.

Don't abuse "cc" and "bcc."
"As a sender, you only want to copy people in your message with a legitimate need to know," said Flynn. "And your 'cc' and 'bcc' recipients are under no obligation to reply to your e-mail, so don't expect one."

Don't use automatic receipts.
"Even though some e-mail systems give an option to automatically request a recipient to return a receipt, think twice before you do that," said Flynn. "Some readers are offended by that."

Another reason to turn off the automatic request: If you send the e-mail to a lot of recipients, the request for receipts clogs your inbox and produces more traffic on the network.

Don't use generic or boring subject lines.
"Be as specific and compelling as possible when putting information in the subject field of an e-mail so they will open and read your message," said Flynn. "The most common mistake is to leave the subject field blank — most will assume it's from a spammer and just delete it."