PSA: You Shouldn't Be Using Emojis in Work Emails

Email is such an integral part of communication that you probably don’t think much about it. But it’s more essential than ever to pay attention to what you’re saying (and how you’re saying it!), especially if you’re working from home. Even if it’s just a note to far-away family and friends, there actually are times it’s not a good option for communicating. “Email is not always the best way to deliver some types of messages,” says Cynthia Grosso, national etiquette expert with Charleston School of Protocol and Etiquette in Charleston, South Carolina. “Email also doesn’t convey tone of voice or facial expression, so it may leave your message open to misunderstanding. It’s important to be mindful of that because once it’s out there, it’s always out there.”

Here are the top bad email habits you should drop ASAP:

Start your emails with a salutation such as “Dear [insert name]” or “Good morning [insert name]”. Use titles, such as Dr. Jones or Mr. Smith, especially if you don’t know someone. If the person says it’s fine to use his or her first name or signs the return email with his or her first name, follow their lead, says Grosso. But avoid being presumptuous, which can backfire. When closing a business email, sign off with something such as “best” or “regards” or “sincerely.”

“Emails should be efficient and to the point,” says Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert with The Protocol School of Texas. Because, honestly, no one has the time (or patience) to weed through a longwinded email! Your question or information also tends to get lost in a rambling message.

We’re all guilty of this from time to time, but reread what you’ve written word-for-word. It doesn’t matter if it’s a message to your boss or your grandma; lots of typos and misspellings make you appear careless.

It’s fine to send your friend a few emojis in an email, of course. But a professional contact, especially if you don’t know them, not so much! Ditto for abbreviations such as IMO or TTYL that might not be understood, says Grosso.

Subject lines introduce your message (or you!) and help the recipient decide how urgent it is, says Gottsman.

Everyone has a unique sense of humor, and, sadly, yours isn’t necessarily going to be appreciated by the other person, says Grosso. It’s easy to misinterpret an attempt at humor in an email, and you may not realize if your humor has offended someone.

Oh, we know it would be oh-so-satisfying to send off that scathing reply immediately. Until about ten seconds after you’ve hit the send button, that is! We promise: Your snarky response will be remembered.

You received a mass email from your boss, which didn’t specifically ask for a response. Now everyone’s responding with one or two-word answers: “Okay” or “Got it” or “Thanks.” With most people’s inboxes flooded every day, no one needs one more email that isn’t essential.

Sending a message in ALL CAPS should not be done, even to emphasize specific words. It just seems like you’re shouting at your recipient, which is never okay, says Gottsman.

Not everyone on your team needs every message. It often clogs up everyone’s inbox so you might miss the messages you do need to see.

It’s acceptable to include a photo of yourself in the signature line in some industries such as real estate or auto sales. But it’s not generally not done in other fields, and it may be looked at as odd or off-putting, says Gottsman.

You’re often asking for something in an email, so it’s never a good idea to sound demanding. Skipping the niceties also appears disrespectful, and honestly, who likes to be ordered around?

Our phones are attached to all of us, and chances are, your recipient will read that email you send after work hours or on the weekend immediately. In our always-connected world, people may feel compelled to give you an answer right away. But there’s sometimes a false sense of urgency attached to these after-hours emails.

Do you have time to read all those jokes and articles people send you links to? Probably not, so don’t do it to others! There’s also risk because recipients don’t know whether or not it’s safe to open some attachments.

Sometimes your recipient needs to see the entire chain of emails, and sometimes, it’s not necessary. But emails with all the responses to and from can become long and overwhelming, so you risk not being able to find the information you need.