Does your email really need a sign-off?

How much time could you save in a day if you completely threw email etiquette out the window? We’re talking no greeting, no sign-off and keeping the whole thing to three sentences or fewer. Could you do it?

 

This notion was introduced recently in The Atlantic and, while the author admits that the steps above could potentially come off as curt—and, consequently, rub some people the wrong way—they wouldn’t, if everyone was on the same page.

 

I’m not sure I agree with his line of thinking. Sure, you might be able to shave off a few seconds here or there by forgoing the word “hello”, but at what cost? When you’re receiving countless email demands a day—with very little face-to-face contact and urgent deadlines—is a simple “hi” or “thank you” too much to ask for?

 

What do you think? Should we rewrite the book on email etiquette? Or preserve a sense of cordiality?

 

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