Email Etiquette for Professionals

Most people spend a decent chunk of their working lives communicating via email and yet many professionals do not know how to use email appropriately.

Due to the fact that people send and receive so many emails on a daily basis, they often end up making mistakes that could reflect badly on them. It is easy to make a spelling mistake or appear too casual or unprofessional in tone.

Here are some tips to make sure you always come across professional in any email communications:

• Always include a clear subject line. Include a clear, direct subject line that sums up what the email is about. People will often decide on whether or not to open an email based solely on the subject line.
• Have a professional email address. If you work for a company you should use your company email. If you are self-employed you should be careful when choosing your email address to make sure that it sounds professional. It should include your name so the recipient knows exactly who is trying to contact them.
• Do not use colloquial greetings such as “Hey guys”. Always use professional salutations in your email communications. A courteous greeting and closing helps to make your e-mail not seem demanding or terse.
• Do not go over the top with your use of exclamation marks. Only use them when absolutely necessary. People can get carried away when using exclamation marks and the result is usually that they come off looking immature.
• Be wary when using humour. Humour can often get misconstrued without the right tones or facial expressions. In a professional sense, humour should be avoided unless you know the recipient very well.
• Proofread every message. Even if you miss a spelling or grammatical error, its more than likely that the recipient of your email will not and you may be judged for making them. Typing your emails in all small case gives the perception of lack of education or laziness. Do not rely solely on spell check – read your email a few times before you send it off.
• Add the email address last. This will prevent you from accidentally sending the email before you are finished writing and proofing it.
• Make sure that you have added the right recipient. It is very easy to select the wrong address from your contacts and this can be embarrassing for both you and the person who receives the email by mistake.

Minimising Contract Ambiguity

Focusing on some of the more ambiguous sections of employment contracts can help a company to limit their exposure to legal risks.

Many of the straight forward issues associated with employment contracts are related to whether they are in compliance with modern awards such as the Fair Work Act or National Employment Standards.

Here are a few preventative steps you can take to reduce legal risks in these areas:

• Have express notice provisions in place. These provisions provide a responsibility for employees to give their employer notice of their resignation. It also applies to the employer. In a recent case , Brennan v Kangaroo Island Council , the local government succeeded in defending its decision to use the relevant industry award to calculate the notice period for its former deputy CEO whose employment contract did not have a specific notice period outlined.
• Incorporate garden leave provisions. Garden/Gardening leave provisions are similar to restraint clauses but are easier to administer. If, for example, you have a three month notice period and have developed a garden leave provision, it is possible for an employee to not attend work during the garden leave period but still cooperate with the employer to attend meetings or give information and assist with the handover. The employee is unable to work with another employer during that time .The employee must be paid during their garden leave.
• Refine discretionary bonuses. If bonuses are referenced in employment contracts, it should be made clear that they will only be awarded at the employer’s discretion. The more detailed you can be about the conditions of the bonus, the more protection you have regarding when the bonus will or will not be paid.
• Make reference to policies without incorporating them. It can be precarious to incorporate workplace policies in employment contracts but it can be useful to reference them. If you do reference workplace policies in your employment contracts make sure to add disclaimers that they are not contractual.
• Continually update terms and conditions. Employee contracts should be updated following promotions or any changes to their roles. If contracts are not updated when an employee’s role has been changed it can be arguable that their contract no longer applies or is no longer relevant. This can create problems when a business is relying on the contract for protection. Specify how long the contract is valid. If you want the contract to be in force for a set period of time, specify the dates. Otherwise, the contract will continue for the life of the employment.