I can write several posts about communication with employees. For this particular one, I will be focusing on meeting time management and email etiquette. Everyone’s time is valuable, whether it’s in regards to a meeting, an email, or a conversation. As the person responsible for leading, it’s important to move the agenda along, while still allowing every employee involved to be heard. This can be especially difficult if the conversation is heated, you have people that don’t know how to keep a long story short, or if the dialogue continues to digress. Be professional. Be respectful. But by all means, when needed, shut. it. down. and move forward. It’s like when working on a group project and everyone is ready to go to the next step. Everyone except that one person who is caught up on a non-pressing detail and ultimately holds up the progress. It’s not because the detail is irrelevant, but rather, it’s not something that needs to be discussed at the moment and doing so can jeopardize completing the project in time. So how do you prevent this individual from holding up the project in a respectful, but effective way? First, let the person have their say. Like I said, it isn’t necessarily the point they are trying to make is invalid, but not necessary in order to move to the next step. Give everyone a chance to understand and absorb the point, so when it is time to address it, everyone can contribute their opinion. Next, let the person know the subject will be discussed later or separately if needed. Finally, honor that promise to discuss later or separately. This is one of those times when you have to do what is best for all, not just for one.
Next, let’s address emails. When an employee emails you with concerns or questions, respond. Respond with an answer, direction, or an intention to follow-up when more information is gathered or received. Leaving an email “on read” like a text from an unwanted suitor has no place in a professional environment. If the email to you requires your timely response in order to move forward on an assignment, when you don’t respond or respond late, you may be putting the employee in a situation where they have to rush through a task or miss a deadline. If the subject matter in the email is not something you’re comfortable addressing, ignoring it won’t make it go away. Forward the email to the right person to address the question or direct the sender to the correct person. If you are the correct person, then answering difficult and sometimes uncomfortable correspondence is part of your role as a manager. If you’re working on getting an answer before responding to an email, great! But if it looks like you’re going to have to wait some time for information, then let your employee know exactly that- you’re waiting on information they can use. It shows they are not being ignored. If the email is not time-sensitive and you need to work on more pressing business, you don’t have to answer the email right away, but again, answer it in a reasonable amount of time. When you get an influx of emails, sometimes emails get buried and you forget to answer. It happens, but should not be a regular occurrence, especially to the same people. Constantly being ignored or having to send multiple reminders can make an employee feel undervalued or cause them to lose faith in management.
Now, let’s talk about one of my biggest pet peeves. It’s been said several times before, by several respected business professionals, but I think it’s worth mentioning again. STOP USING THE BCC FIELD ON EMAIL. If you want the employee’s manager or other “need to know” staff on an email to the employee, don’t hide it. Be forthcoming. Imagine how the employee would feel if they found out someone was on a disciplinary email to them and they were unaware. Or better yet, imagine you were the recipient of a disciplinary email where key members of your organization were blind carbon copied. First, really evaluate if the people you’re bringing into the email are necessary. Then, if you feel they are, make it a discussion versus the one-sided narrative you’re accomplishing by adding others to Bcc versus Cc. You’re probably thinking to yourself, well the employee will probably never find out. The problem is the info is out there and has the potential to be referenced when speaking to or near the employee. It’s now more than an issue of loss of trust, but also a loss of respect. Let’s go back to the bolded statement above. Who really needs to be on the email? How do they play into the written dialogue? If it’s a strongly-worded email, then the necessary people you are adding to the email should be visible, showing the seriousness of the message. There are going to be times in management where you cannot be completely transparent. This isn’t one of those times.
Like I said, I can go on and on about meeting and emails, but I like my blogs, like I like my emails: short and to the point. Now time for a nap.
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