HEARD IN THE LUNCHROOM

Where’s the ‘Unsend’ Button?

E-mail is the most common form of communication in the workplace, and, as such, you may feel that you know the rules of the road when it comes to communicating with colleagues electronically. But according to a recent survey by our company, it’s not uncommon for even the most experienced communicators to stick their foot in their mouth over e-mail.
Seventy-eight percent of executives we polled admitted to e-mailing the wrong person or message without intending to. Here are other e-mail snafus respondents have made personally or witnessed on the job:

• “Someone sent out confidential salary information to the whole firm.”
• “I once sent a job offer to the wrong person.”
• “An employee sent his resume to me by mistake. It was supposed to go to an outside company.”
• “Someone made a nasty comment about a supervisor, and it was sent to the supervisor by mistake. It eventually led to dismissal.”
• “A person called another employee an idiot in an e-mail to everyone in the company.”
• “One of our vendors accidentally e-mailed me information about their sales performance, so I gained some inside knowledge about that vendor.”
• “My receptionist sent a very gossipy and catty e-mail about another employee to the wrong person. It was so unprofessional that she was terminated.”
• “Confidential information about one client was sent to a different client. It was certainly embarrassing.”
• “Someone crafted a scathing, sarcastic e-mail about a customer and did not mean to hit Send. It caused problems.”
• “I once sent an internal memo about restroom etiquette to a prospective client by accident.”

 E-mail communication can be painfully public and easy to track or forward. Here are some tips to help you avoid committing an irreversible e-mail blunder: 

• Pay close attention. Avoid multitasking when responding to important or sensitive messages. Wait until you’re free of distractions before composing your response.
• Save the distribution list for last. When writing a confidential or sensitive message, wait until it is complete before carefully selecting the recipients. This will help you avoid sending it out to the wrong individuals.
• Be selective when cc’ing. Think twice before hitting Reply All and only copy individuals who need to be in on the conversation.
• Check attachments. Insert any documents — and confirm that they’re the right ones — as soon as you set up your e-mail.
• Step away before sending. E-mailing when you’re angry is never a good idea. Consider discussing conflicts in person.
• Keep it professional. Bear in mind that electronic messages can easily be forwarded, and employee e-mails may be monitored. Avoid saying anything unkind or unprofessional.

Take Control of Your Training

Looking for a way to increase your value to your employer? Consider taking training classes to expand your skill set. Even if your employer has cut back on professional development opportunities, several avenues exist for you to pursue relevant training outside of work. Here are some suggestions:

•  Go online. Stay one step ahead of the curve with evolving technologies and industry trends by taking online courses. These classes are often affordable, and they allow you to learn at your own pace.
• Join a professional association. By becoming involved in an industry association specific to your field, you can learn from others whose challenges and concerns are the same as yours. Many groups also offer discounted training or certification courses and member-only events that feature guest speakers and industry experts.  
• Network. Interacting with other professionals, even those outside your field, can expose you to new ideas and clue you in to emerging trends. Several websites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, make it easy to connect with individuals from all over the world.

Heard in the LunchroomSM is provided by Robert Half, the world’s largest specialized staffing firm and a leading authority on workplace and management trends.  For more information, visit www.rhi.com.