Email guidelines

If your project or request needs an official audit trail, email is the communication of choice. To keep
your emails effective and efficient, follow these guidelines:

1. Find a balance

A balance between formal and friendly is ideal for the first contact. For example, start by saying ‘Hi’ or
‘Hello’ rather than ’Dear’, be chatty but to the point, use full sentences and sign off with a ‘best
wishes’ rather than the more formal ‘yours sincerely’.

2. Watch your grammar, spelling and punctuation

Always double-check your email for spelling, grammar and punctuation before sending. Apps like
Grammarly are great for helping with this.

3. Keep it focused

Focus on one subject per email. If a conversation has exceeded two emails on both sides already, it’s
probably best to talk over the phone or in person.

4.Clear, direct subject line

Subject lines should be short and accurately describe the content of the email for clarity.

“Agenda for project meeting on [date]” rather than “ things we might want to cover in the meeting on
[project]

5. Be organised

Make it a habit to organise your emails so they are easy to find if you need them. Create folders in
your email app or browser under different subject areas or projects, and move relevant emails from
your inbox to the respective folder.

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6. Reply promptly

Emails should always be answered in a reasonable timeframe. If you know you aren’t going to be
able to read or respond to emails for a period of time, for example due to to time off, sickness or
travel, set up an out-of-office automatic email reply if you can to let others know.

7. Compress files

If you need to attach large files to your email, such as reports or images, send large attachments, it’s
best to compress the files to make it easier for the recipient to download.

8. Watch your tone

Tone of voice can often be misinterpreted in an email. Be factual and avoid sarcasm. Be mindful that
different cultures have different levels of formality and directness.

9. Sensitive subjects

Sometimes when dealing with sensitive subjects, it’s better to speak in person. , As emails can be
forwarded easily to many recipients, you should limit sending any necessary emails about sensitive
topics. Be careful to double-check who is receiving or able to see these emails.

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