10 Golden Rules Of Email Etiquette Training For Employees

Whether you’re a new hire or a seasoned professional, your email etiquette determines how you thrive in the workplace. Email etiquette is crucial when communicating with prospective customers, business partners, coworkers, managers, or acquaintances. Email etiquette training empowers you to send effective and impactful messages, strengthening relationships and promoting success for you and your organization.

While email is not the most significant aspect of a business, Adobe Systems recently found that workers spend almost 30 hours a week just checking emails, which excludes the time invested in reading and responding to those emails. 

Despite the prevalence of email communication, many professionals still struggle with mastering its nuances. Accidentally hitting "reply all" on a private email seems to happen more often than HR departments would like to handle. 

Have you ever received an email that appeared inappropriate, aggressive, or irrelevant or accidentally sent one to a potential customer? Unfortunately, there is no going back from sending a poorly composed email (unless you unsend it via Google within 10 seconds). This can result in miscommunications, reflecting poorly on the organization’s overall reputation and etiquette.

So how do you overcome this? 

Provide proper email etiquette training to your employees, ensuring everybody understands the workplace etiquette and code of conduct efficiently. 

But first, let’s understand what email etiquette is and why is email etiquette important in the workplace.

What Is Email Etiquette?

Email etiquette, often referred to as email courtesy, provides essential guidelines for effective communication in both professional and social contexts. The etiquette varies depending on your audience and the tone you're aiming for. 

In business emails, the key is to be clear and respectful, no matter who you're writing to. Here, it is important to remember that basic email etiquette can differ depending on the industry and culture, as it is generally influenced by societal norms.

Why Is Email Etiquette Important?

Whether crafting sales emails or designing trigger campaigns, following the standards as per the email etiquette training ensures professional communication in business, fosters positive client relationships, and upholds your brand's reputation.

Email etiquette matters because it sets the tone for how we communicate professionally. When we write clear and respectful emails, it shows we value the recipient's time and understanding. This not only reduces confusion but also strengthens working relationships. By following etiquette guidelines, we create a positive environment where everyone feels respected and communication flows smoothly. 

Email etiquette training enables you and your employees to prepare emails with clarity and precision. 

Here are the most essential reasons why it is important:

1. Improves Clarity

When your emails are clear and easy to understand, recipients are more likely to respond promptly. Clarity in your communication speeds up the process and ensures that everyone knows exactly what needs to be done or discussed.

2. Prevents Misunderstandings 

Misunderstandings between you and your customers can lead to frustrated clients, which can result in decreased sales. Misunderstandings can also create friction between you and your team, resulting in delayed and overdue projects.

3. Minimizes Errors

Reducing errors in your emails is essential for presenting your business as professional, detail-oriented, and credible. By avoiding grammatical and spelling mistakes, you demonstrate diligence and maintain a polished image that instills confidence in your recipients.

4. Increases Efficiency

Being concise and direct in your emails enhances efficiency by minimizing unnecessary back-and-forth. This approach saves time and streamlines communication, allowing everyone to focus more effectively on their tasks.

5. Reduces Compliance Issues

Following email etiquette guidelines aligns your communication with organizational policies, reducing the risk of legal issues and ensuring compliance with company standards. This proactive approach helps mitigate potential liabilities associated with improper or unauthorized email correspondence.

Now that you have understood the significance of email etiquette in the workplace, let’s explore the 10 golden rules of email etiquette training for your employees.

Top 10 Rules For Email Etiquette Training

Email etiquette training is crucial for your employees because it helps them communicate effectively and professionally. It ensures that messages are clear, respectful, and considerate, which can enhance relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners. 

Good email etiquette also helps you avoid misunderstandings and promotes a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and heard. Here are some of the best email etiquette tips meticulously curated for you:

Rule 1: Use Direct Subject Line

In a crowded inbox where consumers receive numerous emails daily, a compelling subject line is crucial to grab attention. It serves as the initial glimpse into your message, so it needs to be both clear and descriptive. Without an engaging subject line, your email risks being overlooked and never engaged with. 

So prepare a bold and to-the-point subject line that grabs the attention of your readers right away. When preparing a subject line, aim for a clear and relevant line that does not look misleading. This builds your trust with the customers and promotes communication.

Example:

• “Meeting Agenda: [Date and Time]”
• "Save Big: 50% Off Everything + Enjoy Free Shipping!"
• “We have received your order.”

Rule 2: Proofread The Emails

Ensuring correct spelling of the recipient’s name, avoiding spelling errors, using simple sentence structures, and maintaining proper capitalization and punctuation are crucial for maintaining professionalism and credibility in your emails.

Use grammar-checking tools and software to prepare an easy-to-understand email. But also ensure that you know the basics so that you avoid any minor errors that the tool could miss out on.

Rule 3: Keep The Tone Professional

Using proper manners in your email communications within a professional setting is essential. It demonstrates respect for the recipient's time and reflects positively on your business. While writing the email,. It’s always best to steer clear of humor, sarcasm, excessive exclamation points, and writing in all capital letters. Using all caps and too many exclamation marks might give the impression that you’re shouting at the recipient.

If you are reaching out to a prospective customer after a short discovery call, it's advisable to maintain a descriptive subject line and a formal greeting. Recall the conversation in a friendly manner and maintain a professional tone. This helps you recall the previous discussion without sounding rude and highlights the agenda of the email.

Rule 4: Know When To Use CC & BCC

When you write an email, always ensure that relevant colleagues or clients are included in email chains concerning pertinent matters. It's crucial to be mindful of who needs to be informed and to respect their inclusion. This is one of the most important aspects of email etiquette that you must keep in mind when crafting a professional email in the workplace.

CC (carbon copy) and BCC (blind carbon copy) are two address fields commonly used in email. While the CC field is typically used when recipients should be kept informed, even though a response isn't necessarily expected, BCC emails are effective for maintaining privacy and security when emailing multiple recipients. 

Despite their similar appearance and sound, it is important to use the CC and BCC fields for distinct purposes appropriately.

Rule 5: Don’t Always Use The “Reply All” Button

Nobody likes scrolling through an email chain involving 20–30 people, especially when it is not even related to them. Receiving unrelated emails can be quite frustrating and distracting during peak business hours. This is why it's important to consider just the relevant parties involved rather than hitting the “reply all” button. Here, it is also wise to use CC and BCC fields as and when necessary to avoid conversational clutter.

Rule 6: Include A Signature Block

When you're reaching out to someone who doesn't know you, especially for professional purposes, it's always a good idea to include your full name, title, company, and contact number as part of the email signature etiquette. This helps build trust and lets them know who they're hearing from.

Closing your email professionally with a sign-off signature block or details about yourself enables the recipient to get a better understanding of you and your company.

Rule 7: Reply To All Your Emails

Now, unlike the “don’t hit reply all” rule, this email etiquette rule means you must reply to all your emails. Responding to every email you receive can be challenging, but making an effort to reply demonstrates good email etiquette. Even if an email was accidentally shared with you, responding to that email is always considered good email etiquette.

Example: 

Even a brief response like, "I think this email might have been sent to me by mistake. I just wanted to give you a heads-up so you can forward it to the right person," is sufficient and courteous.

Rule 8: Write First–Then Add The Recipient

It's a good practice to write the contents of your email first to prevent accidentally sending it prematurely. By writing first and then reviewing, you reduce the risk of errors and ensure that the email is sent to the intended recipient with the correct information.

This approach gives you time to double-check and type the exact name from the contact list or the provided email address without rushing into it.

Rule 9: Avoid Emojis

In professional emails, it's generally best to avoid using emojis. While we commonly use emojis in casual communication with friends and family, it can sometimes come across as too informal for professional settings. So it’s always best to keep the email thread professional and diplomatic.

However, that being said, if your organization is running marketing campaigns, targeting the younger generation, it is always recommended to make use of relevant emojis to make the email template look engaging, fun, and intriguing.

Rule 10: Use Appropriate Formalities And Fonts

The last, but not least, make use of appropriate levels of formalities like “Dear”, “Please”, “Thank you”, “Kind Regards”, “Sincerely”, and so on. Also, ensure that you use the proper fonts and formats, keeping the sizes and colors simple and classic.

It is always best to opt for an 11-point or 12-point font size and choose an easy-to-read sans serif font like Calibri, Helvetica, or Arial for better readability. While it may seem boring to use the same fonts and the same old-colored texts, it is the best and easiest choice when it comes to creating professional emails as per email etiquette training.

Brownie Rule: Set Informative OOO Replies

We are also sharing an extra thumb rule of email etiquette training you must follow to ensure professionalism and comply with the organization’s ethics and policies.

When you are out of the office (OOO) for an extended period of time, it is always best to set an automated email message that allows the senders to know that you are not available. This is one of the most crucial aspects of email etiquette, as it ensures the senders that you are not ghosting them and that you will respond once you are back in the office. 

Here, you must remember to include the OOO reply in the subject line to be straightforward, Include the number of days you will be unavailable, along with the contact information or email address of another available person.

In Conclusion

Email remains a cornerstone of effective communication for businesses, especially in today's hybrid work environment. While many companies have shifted from a physical workplace setup to a complete hybrid or remote work setup, emails play a critical role in shaping and storing crucial information about the organization.

When the volume of emails and texts increases, the risk of errors can escalate, some of which result in serious professional implications, including compliance issues. Hence, it is crucial to pay careful attention to detail when crafting and communicating through emails. 

Invest In Proper Email Etiquette Training

Invest in Calibr.ai, which allows you to unlock an AI-powered learning experience for your employees. With Calibr LXP, you can offer a seamless eLearning experience, allowing your learners to engage with the employee training program and gain fruitful insights to apply the Company Email Usage Policies to their daily business-as-usual activities.

Calibr Craft is a robust AI-powered course authoring tool that allows you to create, edit, and update your course content on the LMS platform. With our exclusive platform, you can not only create course modules but also get unlimited access to over 22,000 Udemy Business courses and 6500+ Packt eBooks and video modules. So stop waiting and schedule your free demo session today!

FAQs

1. What is email etiquette?

Email etiquette refers to the social norms that guide effective and respectful communication via email.

2. What are 3 email etiquette rules?

• Use a professional tone
• Use proper salutations and sign-offs
• Proofread the email before sending it

3. What are 3 email etiquette mistakes?

Three common email etiquette mistakes to avoid include:

• Poor subject lines
• Overusing the reply all button
• Writing a lengthy email without setting a professional tone

4. When should I use CC and BCC in email communication?

Use CC (carbon copy) when recipients need to be informed or kept in the loop, even if they aren't the primary addressees. Use BCC (blind carbon copy) to send emails discreetly to multiple recipients without revealing their addresses to others, ensuring privacy and confidentiality.

5. What should I do if I accidentally send an email with errors or to the wrong recipient?

If you realize you've made a mistake, acknowledge it promptly and apologize if necessary. Take corrective action immediately, such as sending a follow-up email with corrections or clarifications. If confidential information was sent incorrectly, inform your IT or security team as appropriate.

6. What are some email security best practices to follow?

Protect your email account by using strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), being cautious of phishing attempts, and avoiding clicking on suspicious links or attachments. Keep your email software and antivirus software up-to-date to mitigate security risks.