Pinoy Twitter was ablaze over the past week when the topic of Gen Zs and their email etiquette. Netizens have been debating if emails should remain professional and courteous or if they could be more casual and relaxed, like text messages.

SUBJECT: Letter of invitation as seminar guest speaker

Good day, Ms. Cabrera! I am [name] from [school/organization]. [Purpose of email]. Attached is our letter of invitation for the seminar. Thank you.

Name
Position
Contact details https://t.co/A662KrE7IN

— Roentgen (@ronaldgem) March 18, 2023

Communication is an essential skill — especially in professional settings. That’s why it’s important to know proper email etiquette. Following email etiquette allows you to convey respect and professionalism, give a good impression, and allow efficiency by sending the message quickly. Here are some best practices on email etiquette you can put to use:

Use a professional email address

If possible, use a company email address. If you’re a self-employed individual or a job seeker, you should set up a professional-sounding work-only email address to keep your personal correspondences separate. You don’t want to come across as unprofessional when you send your email from “hottestmale@hotmail.com” or “magandangprinsesa2000@yahoo.com”.

Follow a proper email format

While an email is less formal than an actual letter, it’s best to use the basic letter format to ensure professionalism.

Use a clear and concise subject line. This increases the chance of your email being opened. It also helps the recipient have an idea on what your email is about and how urgent and important it is.

Start with a proper salutation. Something as simple as “Hi”, “Hello”, or “Good morning” will suffice.

Make sure the body of your email is complete. State the purpose of your email clearly, and if it’s your first time contacting the recipient, introduce yourself first.

Add a closing statement to properly signify your email has ended. You can use simple yet professional sign-offs such as “Kind regards” or “Sincerely” or even a straightforward “Thank you”.

Keep your email as brief as possible

As everyone’s mostly on mobile, make sure your email is mobile-friendly. It’s best to keep your messages short and succinct so you can avoid being misinterpreted.

Be professional and polite

When drafting an email, think carefully about the words you choose, how you phrase them, and how they may come across to the recipient. Avoid negative or accusatory phrases. Make sure you’re able to deliver your message in a neutral, professional tone.

Emojis aren’t necessarily bad, since they do help in clarifying your tone, but some company cultures find them unprofessional. So make sure you use them only where and when appropriate (usually when the recipient uses them and you’re responding back).

Don’t just send attachments without any context

Mention the attachments you include in your email. This way, the recipient knows what to expect when they receive it — and won’t be skeptical about suspicious files. Doing so also helps protect your devices from potential malware.

Your cybersecurity tip for today: hindi dapat binubuksan ang attachment sa email na wala man lang description HAHAHA malay niyo spinespearphish na kayo

— P.ᜃᜒ.B (@redbatikan) March 18, 2023

Double-check your recipients

Ensure all correct and relevant recipients are included, even if you’re only sending the email to them via CC (or carbon copy). You don’t want to send confidential information to the wrong recipient.

It’s also best to learn how to use BCC (or blind carbon copy) and when it is appropriate to use. Usually, BCC is used to protect someone’s private information, including their email address, from exposure to others. For example, when you’re sending out a mass email, you may want to consider using BCC.

Also, use the “reply all” feature sparingly. You can determine when to use the “reply all” function when you consider the contents of the email. Does everyone on the email thread need to know the information you’re sharing? If no, avoid using “reply all.”

Respond timely and appropriately

When you receive an email, even if it’s just an announcement, acknowledging receipt is common courtesy. You might think that would just be more clutter in their inbox, especially for people who receive hundreds or even thousands of emails per day, but responding is just good etiquette.

Proofread, proofread, proofread!

If you can proofread twice or thrice, do it. You don’t want the recipient to struggle to understand your message just because you made a confusing typo. You also don’t want to send a poorly composed email — or even an incomplete one!

Emailing, just like any other form of communication, requires context. Formalities always depend on the person you are talking to, the content, the intended outcome, and the medium you are using, among many others. In some instances, email etiquette is required. That’s it.

— K Manuel (@theklmanuel) March 19, 2023

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