According to emailreplies.com…
The first step in professionalizing your email communications is to publish a corporate email policy. This email policy accomplishes three objectives:
Commercial objective: in teaching employees how to send effective emails and stating target answering times, you can professionalize your email replies and therefore gain competitive advantage.
Productivity objective: by setting out rules for the personal use of email you can improve productivity and avoid misunderstandings.
Legal objective: in clearly stating what is considered as inappropriate email content you can minimize the risk of law suits and minimize employer’s liability by showing that the company warned employees of inappropriate email use.
For more details on how to satisfy these goals when you create an email policy, read more from emailreplies.com by clicking here.
Urgent Business Forms has made available sample e-mail, Internet, and computer usage policies for businesses to consider.
They offer an 18 page preview of the employee handbook on their website. Although a preview, that 18 pages has some good stuff, including email policies. Here is the link for the sample.
If you’re a business, you need a policy. ‘Nuff said.
Great post by Jonathan Spira entitled, “The Siren’s Call of Information Overload”
Here’s an excerpt:
Instead of multitasking what we actually do is task switching which is really a series of continuous interruptions. While this is done in the belief that one is being more efficient and getting more done, nothing could be farther from the truth. Each interruption comes with a penalty. Read more…
Here is the link.
Here is a blog post by Susan Johnson that outlines the value of filters managing e-mail overload.
As an example, she uses filters to mark certain newly received items as “read,” than automatically filed, so that she does not have to drag and drop these items yet knows where they reside.
Okay. Now it is time to rant. This past week I received at least 15 e-mail messages with this simple one or two word response, “thanks” or “ok.”
Hey, I know folks are just trying to be nice. BUT – We have got to let go of our need to keep the trail going. With the average worker receiving anywhere from 100 to 150 e-mail messages daily, let’s do everyone a favor and stop with the one word responses.
I actually received this response — “Thanks — and how are the kids?” Puh-lease! It is bad enough that you send me an e-mail I didn’t need, but now you are asking me to comment on something absolutely and totally unrelated to the original stream of information.
The one exception that I can tolerate as a one-word response is something that relates to a meeting or scheduling or timing. I actually do like to receive a message that says “Confirmed.”
What are your pet peeves?
Here are some great tips from Fast Company’s Work Smart Column on how to manage your email after being out of the office for several days.
http://www.fastcompany.com/article/work-smart-how-to-power-through-a-mountain-of-e-mail#
Social media is here to stay. With social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn, we are able to stay in touch with our friends and business associates better than we have ever done before. We are also connected by a lot of groups. But what about all those notifications??? They are slamming our inboxes.
What to do? Simple.
Set up a rule to have those notifications automatically placed in a folder.
This is a great way to organize and manage your social media time. Instead of having to drag and drop social media notifications, or to be tempted by wanting to read something that looks interesting, you know exactly where to go when you are in your Social Media mood, or when you have set time in your schedule to manage your online networks.
I tried this simple solution, and it has worked fabulously for me. Let me know how it works for you!
In the first line of your e-mail, place the action request.
Too many e-mail messages are too long, and unfortunately bury the action that the sender is requesting of the reader. By changing your habits to make sure that the action that you intend to be taken as a result of your e-mail message is clearly stated in the very first line of the e-mail, you will be surprised with the results.
Here are some examples:
- Please respond to me by Tuesday, June 4, with your availability.
- This article is for your information only.
- Here are the directions to our off-site retreat, please save them.
- Please submit your recommendations for blah blah blah by this Friday.
- The enclosed documents should be brought to our Thursday staff meeting.
By being direct on exactly what response you desire from the reader, you will help them manage their work, be clearly understood.
Here’s an article you’ll find interesting.
Here’s an excerpt:
The interruption epidemic is reaching a crisis point at some companies and shows no sign of slowing. Email volume is growing at a rate of 66% a year, according to the E-Policy Institute. More people are texting. More are using Facebook or Twitter for work.
“It’s worse than it’s ever been,” says Michelle Rupp, owner of NRG Seattle, an insurance brokerage with a staff of 12 who feel pounded by the avalanche of messaging. “It’s so hard to stay focused. Everything bings and bongs and tweets at you, and you don’t think.”
Yes, it is possible to blunt the interruption assault. But business leaders must go on the offensive in a realm most are oblivious to: interruption management.
There are some people who intuitively understand and have the discipline to not be interrupted, and there are others who allow themselves to be interrupted continually. The ding or the flash of a newly received e-mail is like newfound treasure.
You can tell who is allowing that invasion by how quickly they respond to an e-mail you send them. If they respond within minutes, they are not being as productive as possible — they are looking up every time a new e-mail message comes in. Of course it’s okay to have this happen infrequently, but those folks who continually respond immediately are most likely not getting anything else done.
If you want to know who needs the most help managing their inboxes, the answer is easy. Just find those people who respond immediately – not just once or twice, but consistently.
Here’s more help:
http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog/2010/04/22/my-top-33-email-tips-part-1/
