Tech Tip Tuesday: What Is “Etiquette” Anyways?

Etiquette relates to the ethical properties of social behavior and professional practice when dealing with one another. Especially at your work place and more specifically, digital communication. Yes that's my sly way of introducing Email Etiquette. Which now days includes texting as well. It is very important to remember that in written text the communicator loses 3 of the 5 forms of communication. And those 3 account for about 93% of all communications, as reported by some experts. That leaves you only 7% of the ability to communicate your thoughts and meanings to your recipient via typed words. It also places your level of success 100% within their perception. Sounds like a lost cause to me but it's a part of life now and we must learn to navigate it effectively.

So what do you do? There are a few simple guidelines that you can apply that will help you send more clear and concise emails in a more professional manner. No, I'm not just talking about the highly emotional rant from an incredibly disgruntled coworker with ALL CAPS and lots of multiple !!!!!!!! and ??????? and lots of intended sarcasm. Those fall into the Common Sense category. If you wouldn't say it face to face, don't send it in a text or email. If you're angry or emotional, keep your fingers off the keys. Common sense, right? So here's a few more you might not have thought of that fall more into the Professional category. Happy typing. J

• Always use your work email address for work. It's typically not desirable to receive business correspondence from “lovekitten@” or “partyman@”.
• Never use your work email for personal communication. Kind of a no brainer. Gmail is free.
• Always include a Subject line. Preferably one that relates to the email. Don't put your message in the subject line.
• Don't always “reply all”. The context of the email will hint towards a singular reply or a reply all.
• Use professional common courtesy like Hi and Hello, Mr. and Mrs. And Thank You, Sincerely, Best Regards.
• Be cautious with humor. What you find funny, others may find offensive.  If in doubt, leave it out.
• Refrain from formatting emails. Big bold purple letters in a custom font on a funky background may not even display or can even get blocked.
• Don't use old emails to start new communication. Gives the perception of laziness. Start a new one.
• Down edit replies. Don't include the previous message text unless it's necessary.
• Use a short and clean signature. Avoid personal quotes that aren't business related.
• As always, proof read and spell check before sending.

Author Info: Beatitudes Campus

At the foundation of Beatitudes Campus is the vision of Church of the Beatitudes pastors and congregation members to create a better alternative for older adults than the nursing homes of the early 1960s. The type of community they imagined was the first of its kind in Arizona. Beatitudes Campus is proud to continue the legacy of our founders, by being a leader in the field of aging services for over 50 years.