For example, “Hi Donna,” “Dear Mr. Wexler,” or “Hello Robert,” are professional ways to address your boss. Avoid informal salutations like “Hey,” “Hiya,” and “Yo. ” Don’t use a shortened version of your boss’s first name or a nickname.
“Meeting date changed,” “Quick question about the Barker project,” “New hires for your review,” or “Schedule concerns for this week. ” Make sure your email content matches your subject line.
For example, “This is the third time this has happened and I’m sick of it! Something has to be done about this immediately or our entire staff is going to walk out,” sounds emotional and demanding. Try something neutral like, “The department has dealt with this problem on numerous occasions. Our employees have made it clear to me that they’re stressed out. ” Avoid using lots of exclamation points since that can seem childish or immature.
Avoid shortcut words/phrases like “4 u” and “2day. ” Don’t add smileys at the end of your sentences or use slang abbreviations like “lol” or “wtf. " If you’re replying to your boss’s email, avoid one-word responses like “Yeah” or “Sure” since that can sound a bit rude.
Most email services offer spellcheck tools; if yours doesn’t, you can always copy/paste the content of your email into MS Word, WordPad, or TextEdit and check it that way.
For example, “Our customers have been complaining about the website going down almost every day. Everyone in IT is getting stressed out dealing with calls because this is an issue they can’t fix. ”
For example, “I’ve looked into the issue and it’s happening because our server gets overloaded during high-traffic hours. There are a few ways we can solve this, but I think the best move is to find a more reliable server host. I’ve already pinpointed a few alternative host providers in our price range. ”
You might say, “Since the website is down during high-traffic hours, we’re losing business. If we switch to a more reliable server host, we’ll see a spike in revenue immediately and IT call volume will go down. "
For example, if you want an advance on your paycheck, don’t write, “Can you give me my paycheck early?” Try something like, “Would it be possible for me to get my paycheck a few days early? I’ve had an emergency come up. ” If you need time off for a funeral, don’t write something vague like, “Can you give me Friday off?” Include specifics like, “There’s a funeral I’d really like to attend on Friday at 2pm. Would it be possible for me to take that afternoon off?”
For example, if you need a deadline extended, you might write, “This is really rare for me, but I’ve had a family emergency this week and I won’t have that article on your desk by tomorrow. Would it be okay if I turned it in by Friday at 5pm?” If you’re requesting time off, try something like, “I have a minor surgery scheduled in 2 weeks. Would it be possible for me to take off Monday through Wednesday on the week of April 3rd?” In general, avoid asking your boss to write you a letter of reference for a new job, because if you don’t get the new position, your boss will feel like you’re not committed to the company. However, if you find out you’re being laid off, it’s appropriate to ask them to act as a reference. [12] X Expert Source Amber Rosenberg, PCCLife Coach Expert Interview. 26 February 2019.
“I’m reaching out to say thank you for supporting my ideas this year, especially the Wadlow project. Our department faced some unique challenges during that time and I truly appreciate the feedback and support you provided. " “I want to thank you for being flexible with my work schedule when I was dealing with my father’s health crisis last month. You allowed me to work from home so I could be near my dad during his final days and it meant a lot to me. "
For example, if you emailed your boss about taking medical leave next week and you haven’t heard back, a quick call or drop-in is totally acceptable.
For example: “Hi Steve! I’m still waiting for your feedback on the attached expense report. Accounting needs the report by Friday and I’d like you to take a look at the report before I sign off on it. Thanks in advance!”
“Signature needed on attached docs by Tuesday,” “Time-off request for next week,” “Attached budget needs approval by Friday,” and “New hire resumes for Tuesday’s interviews. "
