Addressing people with "Hi" and using exclamation marks in emails at work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I agree with you. Tone is very hard to judge in email and I’d rather err on the side of approachability.

Same

[Anonymous]

The secret is to have occasional spoken conversations with people, so that everyone naturally reads emails in the remembered voice of the sender.

[Anonymous]

Np, I use a variety of the openings mentioned, but stay away from "Hello." There's something about "hello" that just doesn't sit right with me. I also don't like opening with (Name), it feels aggressive.

If I am familair with the person, I use "Hey (Name), and I am a-ok with people using it with me.

I will also use "Morning (Name)" without the "good."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I agree with you. Tone is very hard to judge in email and I’d rather err on the side of approachability.

+1

And I know there are some people who think using exclamation points and approachable language is less professional. But I’ve realized this is because of the narrative around women’s writing styles. At this point in my career I refuse to change my email tone to sound more like a man.

I will remain friendly, but professional and confident my work product stands on its own.

However, I’ll add the one thing I have changed is tightening any sort of language that comes off as apologetic when something isn’t my fault. I noticed I had a habit of including phrases like “I’m sorry if I misunderstood …” when in reality the other person was inconsistent or left something out. So now I will just write something like “Could you please clarify whether …”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I agree with you. Tone is very hard to judge in email and I’d rather err on the side of approachability.

+1

And I know there are some people who think using exclamation points and approachable language is less professional. But I’ve realized this is because of the narrative around women’s writing styles. At this point in my career I refuse to change my email tone to sound more like a man.

I will remain friendly, but professional and confident my work product stands on its own.

However, I’ll add the one thing I have changed is tightening any sort of language that comes off as apologetic when something isn’t my fault. I noticed I had a habit of including phrases like “I’m sorry if I misunderstood …” when in reality the other person was inconsistent or left something out. So now I will just write something like “Could you please clarify whether …”

I agree with all of this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was my post about how much I hated people starting their emails to me with "Hello" fwiw (summary: mostly everyone disagreed with me): https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/884143.page

The world is strange and people in it are strange.

How do you feel about:

Hey Larla — attached is the follow up report you requested. Please let me know if you have any questions!

And then nothing else because I have an automatic signature line and this person knows who I am because we work together every day.

[Anonymous]

"Hi" is immature and lame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Hi" is immature and lame.

Your coworkers don't like you <3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Hi" is immature and lame.

+10000

OP are you fresh out of HS? "Hello" won't kill you.

[Anonymous]

Hi is less irritating than the empty brain “Hey there”

[Anonymous]

Both “Hi” and “Hey/Hi there” reflect immaturity and carelessness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both “Hi” and “Hey/Hi there” reflect immaturity and carelessness.

+100 And professionalism.

[Anonymous]

Do you people only get 8 emails a day? hi or nothing. Because if you write anything more than that (even hello) it’s less likely the readers name will appear in the preview and therefore the email falls to the bottom of the priority list. If you need me to do something, put my name first or @ me in the email. But I get 700+ emails a day.

[Anonymous]

How about:

Dear sir
To whom is may concern
Dearest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was my post about how much I hated people starting their emails to me with "Hello" fwiw (summary: mostly everyone disagreed with me): https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/884143.page

The world is strange and people in it are strange.

How do you feel about:

Hey Larla — attached is the follow up report you requested. Please let me know if you have any questions!

And then nothing else because I have an automatic signature line and this person knows who I am because we work together every day.

I’m not psyched about “Hey” but if I know you it would be fine (I’m the one who wrote that old post lol). I can deal with hi and hello and hey now without making a new thread on DCUM, but I welcome not having them at all.