Email - good practice guidelines

Email and online communication are a core part of working life, they are important tools for communicating and sharing information, however before you press send it is very important to consider the following points.

• Try to be concise and to the point when drafting emails. Always proofread messages before sending.
• Always target your email appropriately, consider whether everyone included in the distribution needs to be included. Be particularly careful when using Reply to All, CC and BCC functions and think about whether everyone included in the email thread needs to receive your response.
• You should never be rude or disrespectful in your tone and language, always stay positive and professional. Where possible avoid using CAPITALS AS THIS INDICATES SHOUTING and excess exclamation marks can come across as overly enthusiastic. Try to only underline when you need to emphasise a particular word.
• Double-check who you are responding to (with all the different communication platforms we may have open at any one time, it is easy to send the wrong message to the wrong person).
• Always consider data protection, double check you have the right recipient by using the Outlook address book to see more recipient details. Only share what you need to share, start a new email as long email trails can contain information that should not be shared.
• Always be aware that any information sent in an email or online message can be requested as part of a freedom of information request.
• Be mindful that other employees may not be keeping the same hours as you. Try to limit the sending of emails to within normal business hours. Should you be working early mornings or late nights for ease, delay the sending of the emails until the hours between 8.30am and 6pm. In your email options, there is the functionality to delay the delivery of emails, think about how this can be used to help employees.
• Be mindful of the volume of emails you send and consider whether a face-face conversation or phone call might be more appropriate for certain discussions.
• Use email distribution lists carefully to avoid overwhelming recipients with irrelevant messages.
• Update your availability on your Outlook calendar so that employees know when you are available for calls and online meetings.
• Guidance is available on how to set a clear and simple email signature Always keep your email signature up to date detailing your hours of work and explain if an immediate response may not be possible.
• Ensure when you are not available that you put your Outlook auto-response on detailing when a response should be expected and/or when you will be available again.
• When you are not working, we strongly recommend that you switch off PCs/laptops/tablets and put them out of sight. If you receive email or message notifications on your phone, make sure you mute these when you are not working. It is vital that there is a clear line between working from home and being at home.

You may also find videos on email etiquette useful, as well as a general overview of how to manage and use your email account.