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Wednesday, February 18, 2004

PLEASE READ

Just a gripe about email, at least the work-related variety. Or maybe it's just something about the culture at my place of employment.

Doesn't the sending of an email imply that you want someone to read it? I get at least two messages a week these days with subjects of the format <real subject> -- PLEASE READ. Note that "real subject" is a fairly generous description on my part, as "update", "status", and "followup" [sic] all qualify.

Here's what set me off this time. I just received an email with the subject ACTION REQUIRED - Communication Message. Now, I'm not sure sure how one communicates without a message of some form, and I'd probably argue that anything non-destructive one can do with a message is some form of communication with someone somewhere sometime. And isn't an email itself a message?

All right, so let's set aside that redunancy for the moment. What's left is simply a lie. There is no action required. It was simply a request for everyone to update their travel profiles. In my case, I don't even travel. I went on two trips a couple of years ago, I don't foresee any others, and I couldn't tell you if I even have a travel profile to update.

Here's what the subject should have said: "Travel Profile updates requested by Feb. 28." Travelers read the message and respond appropriately; I delete the message unopened and move on. How tough is that?

Update 2/18/04 14:00: OMG. I just received another copy of the message forwarded by my grandboss with instructions at the top telling the travelers to be sure and update their profiles. Note that the original distribution included everyone from his grandboss on down.

Posted 02/18/2004 11:28 by Fritz

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Comments

Speaking of company culture... I have a boss who has asked that I always put "Important" or "Please Read" into the subject line of the "emails I want him to read", otherwise he will not know to read them. hmmm - Guess my daily emailed cartoons and jokes will never be seen by him. (sarcasm)

Posted by: Catherine at March 3, 2004 08:13 AM

I am amazed at the number of folks in the workplace who have dozens, if not hundreds of unopened emails on their system. I had one client who regularly didn’t open mail from me unless I tagged it as high priority. Arrrgh.

Posted by: Dad at May 30, 2004 08:40 AM