Plan Before You Start Writing

Let’s say that you are an HR administrator at a large company and you need to communicate an important change in benefits to all of your employees. I know that sounds scary, but it’s all hypothetical at this point. Unless you really are an HR administrator. Sorry about that. Anyway, you have to tell your employees about these changes and there are lots of things to think about before you actually send them an email. The first question I’d suggest you ask yourself is whether email is even the appropriate format for conveying something so important-- there are few things that people take as seriously as their compensation. If it’s good news that you have to share with them-- maybe everyone is going to get an extra week of paid vacation during the holidays-- it’s easier. But if it’s bad news-- maybe you’re doing away with their pensions-- you have to be considerably more careful. In a case like that an email is most likely going to come across as a heartless and impersonal way of communicating information that is going to have a major impact on people’s lives. If it’s at all possible, I strongly suggest that this is a case where personal contact is much better and less likely to alienate your employees. I’d even go so far as to say that it’s generally a bad idea to convey bad news in email since having someone there in person and being able to ask questions can often go a long way toward cushioning such a blow. Heck, why stop there? The personal touch is usually best for all kinds of emotional issues. Why waste the good news about that extra week of vacation in an email? Why not have a party to announce it and bask in the love and gratitude?

Whether email is even the right format for your communication is just one of the things you should think about before you write or send that message. Admittedly, not every email you write is going to require a lot of thought. If your best friend sends you a note at work asking if you want to have lunch, just say “YES!” (here the caps are perfectly appropriate in the sense of YES, GET ME OUT OF HERE!) and don’t worry about going through a checklist of rules to consider. But for anything more formal you should at least consider whether your message requires a little more thought and planning. For guidelines on what you should be thinking about as you plan those important emails, see below.