Dear Apurva,
How many appointment letters do you issue per annum? What would be savings in per cent against total employee cost if you stop issuing the paper based appointment letters?
While e-mail communication is acceptable as evidence in the Indian courts of law, when the problem arises, it is difficult and time taking process to prove that communication through e-mail has taken place. Though India is major software exporter, we are far backward in e-governance. Therefore, whatever savings you might do by issuing the appointment letters through e-mail, when dispute comes, your all savings could get nullified in single case. In contrast, a written copy is always in your possession and easy to retrieve.
Handling routine inter-departmental or intra-departmental communication through e-mail is one thing and saving on the appointment letters is another. Latter is nothing but contract between employer and employee. Therefore, take this call judiciously. While cost-cutting is always the first mantra of any organisation, avenues are always open for cutting costs through scientific management practices. Most of the Indian companies are far away from the scientific management practices. Whether you are exception, that you would know better.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar