Trusty Texting

The article “All E-mail (All the time),” from Inc. illustrates the pervasiveness of Email in the workplace. Alpine Access is a company where employees are based in their homes and conduct business by phone and e-mail. Here are some principles that govern their interoffice email protocol.

• Clarity is everything —important messages need to be carefully vetted for style, grammar and nuance before they’re sent.
• Trust but verify — employees are required to acknowledge receipt of e-mails. Managers constantly check back to see that employees are in the email loop and not missing any messages.
• Know when not to type —e-mail may be a great convenience, but for sensitive issues like work appraisals or conduct issues it’s far better to have a face to face meeting or a phone conversation.
  

Understanding the best way to use email across your company can help you build a stronger business.