Trimming Your Work Email Diet

Workers wondering where their time goes should look at how they manage emails. A Robert Half survey of more than 2,200 CFOs found that 17 percent of time spent on work email is wasted.

Respondents reported the following items as their primary email distractors:

• Spam (39 percent)
• Being copied on irrelevant messages (27 percent)
• Receiving messages that could be better delivered another way (19 percent)
• Long, rambling messages (14 percent)

"Spam can be addressed by using filters and technology to prevent unwanted email," says Paul McDonald, senior executive director for Robert Half. "But the other issues often boil down to good judgment. Keeping your messages short, relevant and actionable will improve the chances your emails are read and responded to quickly." 

Robert Half offers some email etiquette tips your colleagues will appreciate:

Be cautious who you copy. Does the person you're copying truly need to review the message? Is action required of them? Don't waste your time or the time of recipients who don't need to read the email message, which includes spare use of “Reply All.”

Go on a word diet. Efficiency and brevity should drive your approach to sending email. Aim for two paragraphs or less for most emails, and highlight the purpose of your email early on. Longer emails take too long to digest, and you could lose your audience.

Send less, sift less. Resist the urge to respond immediately, especially if it's a request that may resolve itself without your input. Consider "email-free Fridays" for internal communication, of course allowing for email from outside vendors and customers.

Make the subject line count. Use a subject line that's direct and to the point. Do you need a reply? Try using "RSVP" within the first three words. Otherwise, let recipients know immediately what action is required (e.g., "For your review" or "Meeting rescheduled") so they get the gist and prioritize their response accordingly.

Watch your tone. Email is the equivalent of a hard-copy business memo. It's an official record and should be written with the same professionalism. Check spelling and grammar, and read it aloud to yourself before you click send. The few extra minutes for review will give you another chance to fine-tune the message's content and tone.