Workplace Email Jokes Gone Too Far: Should We Intervene or Stay Silent?

Dear All,

We are an organization of youngsters. We came across a case where 4-5 employees were interacting with each other on official email. It started with a nice message, and then slowly that interaction turned into using abusive language. They were all joking on official email. We are not aware whether any of them were hurt badly or not as we didn't receive any complaints. Do we need to take action on this, or should we remain quiet about it? Management is asking for my comment on this. Please help soon.

Regards,

You should take action because if you do not stop it here, it would grow as they won't have any restriction on what they do. Even if they are youngsters, they are now working in an organization, and discipline needs to be maintained.

You can send a general email to all employees stating that some people have been found using abusive language on the official email. As this was the first time, only a warning is being issued, and if such a thing happens again, strict disciplinary action shall be taken. I believe this would send the message across the organization, and they should desist from it.

Hope this helps you.

Dear Sharma,

I completely agree with Avika. Whether they are youngsters or old people, discipline needs to be maintained in an office environment. They should set an example for people who join the organization later. They can have fun time and talk in a friendly way when they are out for coffee or lunch, but not inside the office.

As Avika said, send an intimation to all the employees that anyone who is using abusive language will have to face severe consequences. If you don't stop these types of interactions in the beginning stage, things won't be favorable later too.

So go ahead and ask people to maintain discipline in the office space.

Hi Sharma,

Official emails are for official purposes only. Abusing them is not an excuse and should not be tolerated. Talk to the offenders concerned and issue them a strong verbal warning, intimating them that any repetition of the same will lead to serious action, like disabling their rights or having all their mails (incoming and outgoing) delivered to a common ID or something similar, where they are vetted before being delivered.

Any misuse of official mail is not accepted, and abusive language should not be tolerated at any level. Mostly, those engaging in such behavior are freshers, first-timers, or very close friends. Still, ignorance of the law is not an excuse, and a strong deterrent needs to be implemented, not just for the offenders but for everyone else.

Thank you.

Issue a general circular to all the employees in your organization stating clearly that official email IDs are meant for official communication only and not to be used as chat forums.

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Thank you for using this service. Let me know if you need further assistance.

There is something called maintaining decorum, and if they are using abusive language in official emails, it should not be overlooked at all. They should know that they have to maintain a strict distinction between their private and professional life.

As it's the first instance, you can give them a warning, stating that if such an act occurs again in the future, it would invite strict disciplinary action. Along with this, you can issue a circular for the same. This way, they will understand and appreciate the seriousness of the matter.

Regards,
Ramneet

Hi,

In my opinion, internal email communication within the organization should be used solely for official purposes and not for entertainment purposes. Therefore, you should send a warning email to all employees.

I appreciate what Jyoti has said. I did the same thing for communication skills in my organization, and it really worked.

Hi,

Such practices will lead to denigration of the organization's culture. Call, counsel, and if continued, take action. Any indisciplinary act, covert or overt, should not be tolerated.

Ravichandar M V

I think that this point should be discussed during induction itself from next time. Make a note in the employee handbook that abusing/filthy language should not be used in office emails. For the time being, circulate this message as a warning email to all employees.

Take actions should not necessarily mean harsh actions, penalties, memos, etc. HR can and should know how to act through counseling and disciplinary actions both. If only disciplinary actions and punishments are to be taken, why have we evolved from 'Labour Officer' to 'HR Professionals'? Use punishment as a last resort, but YES, TAKE ACTION. Speak, explain, listen, guide, observe. If required after observations, use punishment. Views shared by Jyoti are indeed good.

- Hiten

Hi,

It is very easy to take action against anybody who does wrong things, but it is very difficult to correct them. Here, as an HR person, we have to correct them but not punish. Try to counsel them and correct them. Please do not take any action initially; if required, it can be done at the final stage.

Regards,
Itzme

Right. They need to have some changes in their concept about what an organization is. People can be forgiven when they are young because they lack experience. They need to be taught. To learn is to grow up.

Dear Mr. Sharma,

I do agree that severe action should be taken. I think an official (written) warning should be given to them. As they are young and immature, this disciplinary action will be enough for them.

Regards,
C.M. Mohla

Hi,

I completely agree with Jyothi on this. One thing you should decide is whether to take a 'Compliance-based approach' to this issue or a 'Value-based approach'. A compliance-based approach, which emphasizes punishments for non-compliance, will reduce such activities, but only in the short term. Being youngsters, they can feel offended, which will reflect on their productivity.

The value-based approach is what Jyothi explained. Explain to the team the values of the company and convey to them that as long as they are with the company, they should try to align their values with the company's values. Training on email etiquettes and behavior in the office with peers might be of great help to these youngsters for their future and will work for the longer term.

Regards,
Saravana:icon1:

Dear Mr. Sharma,

Even though we are not receiving any complaints from any one of the team, they are using the official email for their communication. Hence, it is against office policy. First of all, they should not use the official email ID for personal chatting and personal emails. It is accepted only for any season's greetings and wishes on staff members' birthdays, marriage anniversaries, etc. Otherwise, they should not use the official email ID for personal chatting. We have the moral responsibility to call them and warn them for misusing the email provided by the organization.

With warm regards,

S. Bhaskar

Team,

I do agree with Jyoti. However, a training program for all employees could be an excellent option for a small organization. If your organization has an enormous workforce, then I would suggest running a program for the business unit leaders and supervisors and asking them to cascade the same to their reportees. In addition, a communication can be sent to all employees regarding the email policies of the company and the consequences that could follow if misuse is reported.

This approach would truly project your company as having a people-friendly approach and would effectively communicate the message to your employees.

Best regards,
SEN

Avika has hit the nail on the head. A very correct approach.

However, it is very necessary and important to nip the evil in the bud.

You could perhaps extract a written apology from the concerned employees and, based on these written admissions and apology, issue a befitting warning letter to each of them.

It is also very important to ensure that signatures of the concerned employees are obtained on the copies of the warning letter.

And, the receipted copies should be placed in their Personal Files.

Best Wishes,

Vasant Nair
HR Advisor

Ideally, it's best to call them for a private meeting and counsel them. It's also good to have an induction, including the topic of email etiquette. If things don't work out, issue warning letters against such misdemeanors.

Dear all,

Please create an HR manual for your organization. This has occurred due to the poor functioning of your HR department and HR policies. I suggest adding a clause to your policy stating that any misuse of official email or the use of vulgar language will be considered misconduct and may result in termination.

Upon reviewing your case, it is evident that your HR department is not functioning optimally. I recommend revising your induction policy as you are struggling to hire suitable employees for key positions. Additionally, consider making changes to your performance management system. Any misconduct found will directly impact the individual's performance goals.

I advise conducting an HR audit to identify further weaknesses within your departments. Post notices on your bulletin board to communicate these changes effectively. Furthermore, ensure new employees receive a comprehensive induction program.

Best of luck.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Dear All,

Companies these days frame a Code of Conduct and make it a part of the joining kit.

With Regards, V. Sounder Rajan

E-mail: rajanassociates@eth.net

Hello sir,

It is a very serious matter in the organization. All youngsters are doing the same thing in any organization. We are HR managers, and we have to tackle this type of problem. I think you should give proper instructions about the rules, like never using abusive language in office emails. You should also impose fines if someone does it in the future. Manage your people very effectively.

Hello!

I think that considering the company's prestige, if only the involved staff are consulted in person and issued a warning, it will be in the favor of all. Every first mistake must be pardoned.

Suneil Mehta

Hi Avika,

I have gone through the comments.

1. The official emails are only used for official purposes and not to settle individual scores.
2. Certainly, it is wrong.
3. Instead of sending the emails to them or issuing general circulars, you should call personally and appraise them of the situation and ask them to stop this nonsense. If not, take further steps.
4. No general circulars, act directly.
5. Since they are young, if communicated firmly yet tenderly, they will understand and certainly they will mend their ways.

Nagaraj
nagaraj1946@gmail.com

You should take action because abusing is something that a person doesn't like, even when they are kidding. So, sooner or later, this could become a source of conflict in the organization. The firm where I was working as an intern faced a lot of problems regarding labor disputes. When we investigated, we found that most of the quarrels started from abusing.

So don't ignore it. Take some appropriate action.

With regards,
Mubasher Javed

Hi All,

I completely agree with what Jyothi said about arranging a training program on Email etiquette. In the first place, the people who are doing this, as my seniors said, they might be freshers and don't know much about the corporate culture. If that is the case, the training program would serve its purpose. However, if the individuals are well aware of what they are doing and are reluctant to adhere to the company rules, then arranging a training program on Email etiquette is necessary. Additionally, organizing an activity involving only those individuals who are part of the email loop would be beneficial.

An activity could include demonstrating the correct way of using official email versus the wrong way, for example. This interactive approach can be very effective in reinforcing proper email etiquette practices.

Regards,
Capricevogue

I agree with Jyothi. E-mail and internet policies should be explained very carefully to new recruits at the time of HR induction itself to avoid such incidents. Freshers, especially, will not have a good understanding of office decorum. They need to be educated on the same.

Also, you may send out an e-mail or office memo that mentions that this kind of 'fun at work' is purely unacceptable, and the official e-mail ID is only for official purposes.

Regards, Sangeetha Susan Executive - HR

Hi,

I guess I'm coming in late on this. Nice to see the discussion as corporate communication has been one of my favorite subjects. Well, as you mentioned, the organization being young, it is bound to be vulnerable. Taking "action," per se, would not serve any purpose, but definitely, a strong message needs to be passed not only to the group indulged in this but across the organization and at all levels. This certainly does not fall under professional communications by any standards. Now the question is how to do it in an effective way.

My suggestions would be A) a workshop on strategic business communication and best practices followed by framing an email policy, getting the approval of the board/management on it, and circulating the same. We have assisted a lot of our clients on both aspects and trust me, received a phenomenal response both from enterprises and individuals as it was an eye-opener at individual levels on self-development. Hence, you are actually helping your organization and creating an opportunity for the employees to develop themselves for their benefit! Let us know for any further assistance we might extend.

Warm regards. nirmalya@debrin.in

Please advise them to refrain from using unparliamentary language in official emails or otherwise. Organizing a training program for the conduct expected by you is a good idea. Alternatively, you may post a notice on the notice board of your organization for the information of all employees. In case they still indulge in using foul language, you are free to take disciplinary action against them as per service rules/standing orders.

My dear Friend,

I fully support the views of our friend Jyoti. In almost all organizations - irrespective of the size and nature of the business, induction programs are done for the freshers. Freshers are appointed based on academic knowledge sans soft skills and hence they need to be trained on soft skills. There is no need to employ trainers from outside, and you may even ask the HODs concerned to "talk" to them proactively. Kidding is not uncommon with present-day youngsters, and when it crosses the limits, we must show them their place. Discipline should be given utmost importance lest the culture and ethics of the entire organization will get spoiled, and a few others will follow suit if such unhealthy practices go unchecked.

With good wishes, Ganesh.R Manager (Admn.) DCW Limited - Freelance HR Trainer, Psychological Counselor, Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master & Healer

Avika is right. You must take action against them or speak with your IT department to monitor the server. Secondly, establish a disciplinary policy and procedures if you don't have any policy in place.

Actually, these sorts of issues should be brought to the notice of HR from the System Admin department. They should monitor all of these. Obviously, once you get to know that there is some issue, then please don't wait until others complain. It's your duty to close the issue before others start complaining.

Please format a decent email and ask your system admin to circulate it to all the employees in your concern, which states the exact meaning of an official email. Make it clear that severe action will be taken against those who violate this. Make it a policy that consists of do's and don'ts and post it on the notice board too.

Hi Sharma,

This problem can be easily resolved. You can implement an email policy where such clauses can be included. In the future, if any such incidents occur, you can warn them according to the policy.

Thanks,
Likitha

Hi Sharma,

As I mentioned in my previous post, please draft an email policy and ensure it is displayed in a location accessible to everyone. Make sure that all employees read and understand the policy. In case of any violations, you should issue warnings, and if the misconduct persists, termination may be necessary.

Please include all relevant clauses in the policy to cover various scenarios.

Regards,
Likitha