R Yr Biznes E-mails Hrting Yr Career?
By Daryl Hannah
February 01, 2008
Click the audio icons below to hear tips from INROADS expert Sophia Bogues.
I recently received a business e-mail from a professional accountant, responding to a request I had sent for an interview. It read: "I am chking 2 see if we have someone available to assist u with this r u on deadline if so what might that be?" I never responded.
It can be tricky sending business e-mails in a work force that encompasses diversity of race/ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability and other cultural influences. However, one thing is clear: Your ability to effectively communicate will directly affect how high on the corporate ladder you go. And business e-mails are not text messages.
In many corporate cultures, business e-mails reflect your ability to communicate. "Business e-mails are a tool, and that tool represents you," says Sophia Bogues, strategic accounts manager with INROADS.
DiversityInc has compiled four tips from national experts on sending business e-mails:
No.1
Keep It Short But Clear: Writing a clear but concise e-mail is not always the easiest thing to do--but it is necessary. However, like my accountant source, some professionals turn to shorthand, often at the expense of clarity. "It's common in most cultures to use language that is not clear outside that culture; it creates a crypt culture that is not acceptable for the workplace," says Alan Muir, executive director of Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD).
Instead of wasting your time on a lengthy greeting, use "greetings" before the recipient's name. Remember, executives don't have time to read lengthy e-mails. They also don't have time to decode them.
No. 2
Adhere to the Culture: The level of familiarity with which coworkers address each other changes depending on the organization. In some organizations, age, gender or rank affect how employees interact with each other. "If the company is formalized, then you need to adhere to the standard," says Muir.
Take time to understand the culture of the office. Pay attention to how people from different age groups, levels of familiarity or rank address each other. "Every corporate client has a different corporate culture, and you'll find that different cultures require different things," says Bogues. "You really need to understand the corporate culture and how well they communicate and what their communication style is."
Click the audio icon to listen to Bogues talk about why "cultural fit" is so important. 
No. 3
Avoid Religious References: Discussions about religion have their place in the workplace--but e-mails aren't that place. Opening or closing e-mails with religious expressions such as "God bless" or "be blessed" may be offensive to someone who may not be religious or may have a different religion. "It becomes very personal and it becomes difficult for someone with a different set of beliefs to be able to feel comfortable," Linda Umansky Saiger, executive director of the Council on Jewish Workplace Issues, said in an exclusive roundtable on religion in the workplace in the Nov./Dec. issue of DiversityInc magazine. Instead, use a simple "Thank you" or "Be well." Not only do you avoid a religious pitfall, it gets the job done.
For more on how to avoid religious pitfalls, read Religion at Work: Former EEOC Chair Tells What's Legal and What's Not.
No. 4
Always PROOFREAD: Take time to proofread your work. While this should be a rule of thumb for everyone, being a member of a traditionally underrepresented group often brings added scrutiny. "If you are sending e-mails that are grammatically incorrect, the wrong name on the e-mail, or it's all in caps, it can cost you that job," says Bogues. "This says to the recipient that you do not pay attention to details, and in business, how well you pay attention to details determines how well you are successful."
Click the audio icon to find out why proofreading is so critical.
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