Sunday, March 18, 2012

HR E-mail Examples - HRGuid


How to write E-mail


      This page is to help you write good e-mail messages.
      Instructions:
      Read the guidelines below, then do the activity.

      E-mail Guidelines

      E-mail: Inbox
      To: All members of staff 
      From: Jennifer Ranford <j.ranford@firm.com>  
      Date:  18 March 2012  
      Subject: E-mail Writing Guidelines 
       
        Please note and follow the guidelines below concerning the writing of company e-mail messages.
         
      1. Subjects
        Give the message a subject/title. E-mail messages without a subject may not be opened because of a fear of viruses and especially note that it is very easy to forget to type this important information.
         
      2. Subject contents
        Keep the subject short and clear but avoid such headings as:
        ‘Good News’, ‘Hello’, ‘Message from Mary’. These headings are common in messages containing viruses. Short but specific headings are needed,
        e.g.Order No. 2348X
        Delayed Shipment
        Laboratory Equipment Order
         
      3. Greetings
        Start the message with a greeting so as to help create a friendly but business-like tone. The choice of using the other name versus the surname will depend on who you are writing to. If you have communicated with the receiver previously and he/she is at a similar level to you, then the use of the other name would be appropriate. If the receiver is more senior to you, or if you are in doubt, it would be safer (particularly in the first communication) to use the person’s surname/family name together with a title,
        e.g. Dear Mr Smithson, Dear Ms Stringer.

        It is also becoming quite common to write the greeting without a comma,
        e.g. Dear Miss Lawson
        e.g. Dear KK
         
      4. Purpose
        Start with a clear indication of what the message is about in the first paragraph.
        Give full details in the following paragraph(s).
        Make sure that the final paragraph indicates what should happen next.
        e.g. I will send a messenger to your office on Tuesday morning to collect the faulty goods.
        e.g. Please let me have your order by the beginning of the month.
         
      5. Action
        Any action that you want the reader to do should be clearly described, using politeness phrases. Subordinates should use expressions such as 'Could you...' or ' I would be grateful if...'. Superior staff should also use polite phrases, for example, 'Please...'.
         
      6. Attachments
        Make sure you refer, in the main message, to any attachments you are adding and of course make extra sure that you remember to include the attachment(s). As attachments can transmit viruses, try not to use them, unless you are sending complicated documents. Copy-and-paste text-only contents into the body of the e-mail. If you use an attachment, make sure the file name describes the content, and is not too general; e.g. 'message.doc' is bad, but 'QA Report 2012.doc' is good.
         
      7. Endings
        End the message in a polite way. Common endings are:
        Yours sincerely, Best regards, Best wishes, Regards,
        If you did not put a comma after the greeting at the beginning of the message, then do not put a comma after the ending either,
        e.g. Best wishes
        e.g. Regards
         
      8. Names
        Include your name at the end of the message. It is most annoying to receive an email which does not include the name of the sender. The problem is that often the email address of the sender does not indicate exactly who it is from, e.g. 0385915d@polyu.edu.hk
      Please follow these guidelines with all e-mail messages that you send.

      Kind regards
      Jennifer Ranford
      Human Resources Manager
       




      Activity

      Instructions:
      Choose the best options from the drop-down boxes below, then press the 'Send' button.
       
      E-mail: Compose
      To: Jennifer Ranford <j.ranford@firm.com>  
      From: 
      Date:  18 March 2012  
      Subject:
       
      Thank you for your message about how to write e-mails. As I am a new member of staff, it is very helpful to know our company style.
      I wonder if you could help me with one aspect of e-mails: English names.
      I am confused about short forms of English names. Some staff call me 'Bill'. I know, for example, that 'Jen' and 'Jenny' are short for 'Jennifer'. I include a list of names that I am not sure about.
      Thank you.

      Trainee
       
      Attachments: 



      Feedback

      E-mail: Inbox
      To: Click here > 
      From: Jennifer Ranford <j.ranford@firm.com>  
      Date:  18 March 2012  
      Subject: Re: E-mail Writing Guidelines 
       
      Dear Bill

      Thank you for your e-mail. I think that you need to re-read my instructions about how to write an e-mail. Here are some comments:
      1. You should include your e-mail address in the 'From:' box. I had to look up your name in the personnel directory, which was not convenient.
      2. You forgot to include a subject heading. See Point 1 in my message.
      3. As I am your boss, I would prefer you to address me as 'Ms. Ranford'. See Point 3 in my message.
      4. Please give the reader accurate instructions about exactly what you want him or her to do. Don't just hint. When making a request to a boss, use a politeness expression, such as 'Could you...' See Point 5 in my message.
      5. In our relationship, the most suitable phrase to use is 'Regards'. See Point 7 in my message.
      6. Please give your full name in the sign off. This is because we have not met, so you should be formal. Later you can sign yourself 'William'. See Point 8 in my message.
      7. Please show me that you understand this advice by editing and then re-sending me your message.

      Kind regards
      Jennifer Ranford
      Human Resources Manager
       

No comments:

Post a Comment