Just how productive is it these days? In many ways, EMAIL has become a bane of many professionals lives. At some companies, people spend up to 40% of their day managing their inbox. I have spent time at companies where this is wholly true, and perhaps even more so. Microsoft being one. Email at MSFT gets to a point where it seems to take up half your time, and feels counter-productive. My first week there I was told "I'd receive more email than I've ever had before." And this proved true. I've seen Microsofties at the gym who check their Outlook inbox via a Blackberry in between sets of curls. It's sad. They're seemingly tied to managing their inboxes. Of course, they're sharing ideas, but in an inefficient manner. At this and other companies, there's really a lack of what could be considered "business hours" due to email. It creates a constant flow or work not limited to being passed between 8 am and 6 pm. Just replying to an email, "passing it back", feels like getting something done. It's part of the culture. But there's only so much benefit to working in this manner, and I believe email at this point has reached its critical point.
A few things I would change about today's email culture are as follows:
1. If you're receiving more than 50 emails a day, you need to reevaluate your job or how your company works. It's what is called "Information Overload." You don't want to fall into half your day being spent responding to emails, especially if they involve projects to do and you never seem to get to the bottom of your inbox.
2. Stress face time versus email communication. If anything, someone should try to see a customer or colleague in person in a meeting versus sending an email message. If you can't see the person face to face due to time or location differences, consider picking up the phone over sending an email.
3. Remember that you affect how your company values email communication. So be wary of how others work versus how you do, and think twice about sending an email. Because it may cause others to use it more too.
4. Avoid "flame mail." Flame mail is the term for someone expressing discontent or anger over email in response. And usually, flame mails involve words that one person wouldn't say to another if speaking face to face. Consider how you treat others when sending email. If anything, call a meeting or pick up the phone.
5. Consider changing your email habits. Some things I would suggest is checking your inbox at only certain times of the day, or sending email only as an "FYI basis." Again, you have to determine how you want email to be apart of your career.
6. Don't needlessly cc: others. This happens far too often in the workplace. People think others are in the know just because they were copied on an important email. This adds to the email volume. I can't recall how many times I've been in a meeting discussion to hear someone ask questions about the subject matter only to be told, "didn't you get that email? you were copied on it." Simply copying someone on an email doesn't imply they are now on the same page as you. People have different schedules. Consider telling them in person or over the phone to get your point across.
Email: It's a communication tool, not a job.
A few things I would change about today's email culture are as follows:
1. If you're receiving more than 50 emails a day, you need to reevaluate your job or how your company works. It's what is called "Information Overload." You don't want to fall into half your day being spent responding to emails, especially if they involve projects to do and you never seem to get to the bottom of your inbox.
2. Stress face time versus email communication. If anything, someone should try to see a customer or colleague in person in a meeting versus sending an email message. If you can't see the person face to face due to time or location differences, consider picking up the phone over sending an email.
3. Remember that you affect how your company values email communication. So be wary of how others work versus how you do, and think twice about sending an email. Because it may cause others to use it more too.
4. Avoid "flame mail." Flame mail is the term for someone expressing discontent or anger over email in response. And usually, flame mails involve words that one person wouldn't say to another if speaking face to face. Consider how you treat others when sending email. If anything, call a meeting or pick up the phone.
5. Consider changing your email habits. Some things I would suggest is checking your inbox at only certain times of the day, or sending email only as an "FYI basis." Again, you have to determine how you want email to be apart of your career.
6. Don't needlessly cc: others. This happens far too often in the workplace. People think others are in the know just because they were copied on an important email. This adds to the email volume. I can't recall how many times I've been in a meeting discussion to hear someone ask questions about the subject matter only to be told, "didn't you get that email? you were copied on it." Simply copying someone on an email doesn't imply they are now on the same page as you. People have different schedules. Consider telling them in person or over the phone to get your point across.
Email: It's a communication tool, not a job.
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