Mind Your E-Mail Manners

The Worst Etiquette Offenses

Infraction 1: Sending Offensive Content

You might think a photo of Janet Reno's head above a naked model's torso is funny, but be careful whom you share it with. Some friends may take offense, and e-mailing it to coworkers can get you reprimanded--or even fired.

Never forget that employers have the right to monitor your e-mail, advises Amy DelPo, an attorney and editor of employment law books for legal publisher Nolo Press. What's more, most companies tend to archive e-mail--even deleted messages. Your own messages can be used against you in court.

Advice: Don't send anything through e-mail you wouldn't put on a postcard. Also, don't use your business e-mail address for personal correspondence.

Infraction 2: Using E-Mail for Sensitive Messages

These days, time is more precious than ever. E-mail is extraordinarily convenient. Put the two facts together, and the result is that many companies accept e-mail as an almost exclusive mode of communication between employees.

The problem is that e-mail messages can be misconstrued. You may have meant one thing but inadvertently implied the opposite. More importantly, e-mail is not appropriate in all situations, particularly those involving sensitive issues. "Some people have actually been fired by e-mail," says Charles Bermant, e-mail advice columnist for the Seattle Times.

It's particularly boorish to communicate sensitive matters anonymously. "We already know that anonymous letters are despicable," says Miss Manners columnist Judith Martin. "In etiquette, as well as in law, hiring a hit man to do the job does not relieve you of responsibility."

Advice: Never use e-mail to convey sensitive information, especially anonymously. Sensitive matters at work should be handled in person. If that's not possible, the descending order of preference should be telephone, followed by voice mail, and only when all else fails, e-mail.

Infraction 3: Flaming

Some people, believe it or not, don't deal well with anger or confrontation. In the heat of the moment, they bang out fiery (if not downright ugly) messages. Later, when they've regained their composure, these hotheads often regret what they wrote.

Advice: Think before you click Send. Some enterprise e-mail systems include an Unsend feature, but many don't. "Wait 24 hours to calm down," suggests Sue Fox, author of Etiquette for Dummies (IDG Books). "Then, read your message over again. If you still feel the same way, send it."