(1) Unread Message

McKinsey & Company reported in July 2012 that 28% of a professional’s work week is spent answering and sending emails. They’re important and therefore, they are important to get right the first time.

Here are a few rules I’ve learned in the last month… Some from great examples of how to do it right… Many from great examples of how to do it poorly. 

1. Be concise. Cut it down to three sentences if you can. 
2. Still be thorough. I spent 45 minutes today trying to figure out which employee another was referring to because a. in a bit of frustration she typed out the first name that popped in her head (the wrong one) & b. she didn’t include a last name. No one is going to be offended that you gave them details they already know. 
3. Be a little kinder then necessary. You never know how someone’s day is going and therefore what tone they will read your email in. 
4. Try to avoid assigning a tone to a set of words on a screen. The reply probably did not intend to scold 'stupid intern you should have explained that and not made a typo," but my your tiny bit of insecurity as I you establish a place in the office might make me you see it as if it were in big, bold, red letters. 
5. An extra please never killed anyone - especially if your emails are outward facing. (My HR co-worker guru women are great at this).
6. A salutation and a closing take little time but make big impact. After a few exchanges, it is safe to drop one or the other, and eventually both. 
7. It is not always necessary to sound like a robot. [Insert name here]
8. One thank you email is enough.
9. A nice blue font color is tres-chic. 
10. Smileys actually aren’t prohibited, and often welcome amongst the drudgery. *depends on the company culture* 
11. If you send the same email over and over again, make a template. In my case, I fiddle with weekly emails so that details don’t get lost by the recipient assuming what is normally there is a there again. 
12. *Bonus IM Rule* - If someone is in a meeting, and it can wait, let it wait. The system we use at work, Lync, even indicates when that person will be free. 

Experienced professionals and newbies a-like… do you agree? Disagree? Share your tips for work emails in the comments section!