Just when you thought that common sense existed, you read something that convinces you otherwise.
I came across an article on the SHRM site that listed real emails that ended up causing employers a bunch of grief. I thought I’d share them for your amusement.
- In response to an e-mail about an employee being on leave, a manager e-mails a co-worker that the employee was probably “recovering from another bender.”
- In response to an e-mail about a worker being separated, a manager e-mails a co-worker that the company is “better off without that thieving SOB.”
- An e-mail between male managers mentions that one of them was going to have drinks with a particular employee. In response, the other manager says he “wouldn’t have a drink with him on a bet as he wasn’t sure which way he swings.”
- A manager e-mails, “I am going to have a stress disorder from trying to accommodate everyone. I need an accommodation.”
- A manager e-mails, “I am tired of employees who don’t want to work hard claiming they can’t.”
- Another manager e-mails, “This employee needs an accommodation about as much as I need a migraine.”
- A manager questions HR about an employee’s need for leave, saying, “Come on. Hasn’t she been out enough? She’s faking it. This is ridiculous.”
- When an employee is given a Friday afternoon off for religious reasons, a manager fires off an e-mail saying, “This is a bunch of baloney. I wonder where she’s going.”
- A senior-level manager e-mails an employee about which vendors he would or would not sleep with, giving the name, rating, characteristics and prominent body parts.
Wow. Whatever happened to the expression that if you didn’t want to see your email on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, don’t send it! It’s easy to sense the careless attitude in these emails and I bet the managers thought they were being funny when they sent them.
SHRM recommends that managers and employees receive training on email professionalism and making sure the content of emails was as professional and courteous as if they were speaking to colleagues face to face.
Do you think folks are losing professionalism in emails? Have you noticed an upswing on dangerous sarcasm?
Kimberly, I have heard managers say and write similar things. But one of my biggest areas of grief is texting. I work in a 24/7 environment with employees at 60 different sites. Texting is one of the most efficient means of communication, but can lead to problems when managers respond impulsively in a way that is too informal or reactive. What are your thoughts on that, besides more training of managers and employees?
I see your point exactly, Krista. Texting is efficient especially in a 24/7 workplace. If it were me, I’d do ongoing reminders vs. formal training. Formal training is not frequent enough and if someone is unsure about if a text is “safe” to send, have the folks ask themselves how a jury would react to reading it. Or, work on incorporating a 3-second rule before hitting send to review the text message.
In your case, I would definitely do frequent, friendly reminders. This is something I would approach with a sense of humor (because of the frequency) but stress the importance of the issue. Folks who “get it” may get frustrated with the frequency but they need to understand that it takes 30 days to form a habit.
However your communication style, come at your managers in all ways: texts, emails, voice mails and visual cues like small images around the workplace.
Kimberly, I have been the recipient of such emails, which have made me uncomfortable. I’m not sure people realize that emails can be subpoenaed and used in a court of law. It may sound extreme to say this, but you just never know. We live in a litigious society where, in business, everything should be professionally buttoned up.
Cyndy, I don’t think you’re being extreme at all. We really never know what will result from something we may perceive as harmless. It’s not worth the risk at all.
Thanks for commenting!
Very striking article, Kimberly. It’s amazing how much people have begun to equate electronic communication with whispering in the hallways or gossiping at the water cooler.