Victoria Turk, an editor at Wired UK and the author of a new book, Kill Reply All: A Modern Guide to Online Etiquette, From Social Media to Work to Love. She covers proper digital manners, from emailing co-workers at night to leaving lengthy voicemails.
- Punctuation can put you in the dog house - Adding punctuation especially in text messages, makes it seem like you’re doing it for emphasis, which can come off as angry.
- Reconsider replying all - We all know why you shouldn't do this.
- Email is not an instant messenger - Thanks to smartphones, eager e-mailers have come to expect near-instantaneous responses. If you need a quick answer, Turk suggests using a different medium, such as a call.
- Respect downtime - Your co-workers probably can’t help but check their email after hours — which is why you shouldn’t bother them. “If you wouldn’t expect someone to come into the office to do their job at that time, why are you expecting them to do it at home?” asks Turk.
- Emojis and exclamation points are good, in moderation - Exclamation points and emojis are useful, even in work emails. But don’t go overboard, or you’ll come across as silly.
- Never, ever leave a voicemail - “There’s absolutely no purpose for voicemails in the modern age,” (We are shocked too) says Turk. If you call someone and they don’t pick up, she says consider dropping an email or a text instead.
- Schedule all calls, even with your friends - Forget the surprise phone call — Turk says in this day and age, it’s downright rude. “When you receive a phone call you’re not expecting, it throws you off guard,” she says. “It’s almost intrusive.” Instead, embrace a simple two-step process of shooting off a quick check-in text before you dial.
- Don’t read and ignore - Make sure to follow through is a message needs a response. The sender won't know if you saw and/or understood the message if you never respond.
SOURCE: NY Post
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