In a world where everyone we know is either a push or click of a “send” button away, it seems that our methods of communications have become less ethical with each push & click. The impersonality of our digital world has given us a shield of radio frequencies and a human disconnect within the miles of dark fiber that separate us. Thus, questions arise like; why is it that it seems so difficult to get in touch with ones when we need to the most? Why is it so hard to call someone when “touching base” is more important than ever? How ironic, in a world where communicating has never been so effortless, it has simultaneously become so complex. The other day, a colleague of mine was working on a document for a ‘potential’ client, and I asked a simple question, “Have you spoken to the client?” His answer was, ‘No, because I have not finished the document yet.’ Would you have answered the same? Well, after finding out that he had not contacted the client in a couple of days, I quickly responded to him, “Call him. He needs to know you are still interested in doing business with him. Make a quick call to let him know you are still working on the documentation. This will furthermore demonstrate to him that he does not have to begin to look for alternatives as a result of your silence.” How many of you get so busy that you feel as if you don’t have time to call someone, or email that person to let them know you are busy? You will get around to it when you have time. Right? Then, when you finally realize that it has been days, weeks or God-forbid, Months since you have responded, it is almost uncomfortable attempting to reconvene any sort of communication. The message here is, silence is not ethical, and will always be a detriment to a good foundation of communication that you have either built or are trying to build. A simple reply will exhibit a respect given, and a respect deserved. A simple ‘reply’, whether it be via email, by phone, or even text, will allow you to keep the ‘fire burning’, and will avoid you having to ‘rekindle the fire’ that has slowly suffered exhaustion through indiscernible communication, or in other words, silence. Technology, as it runs circles around many people, can be a useful tool when utilized properly. There are many guidelines as to what a company can do to enforce proper usage if its information technology. Here are some guidelines that will help you in establishing good communicational ethics as an employee: Access and Disclosure without Consent in Specific Cases: Never send any confidential information via email. If you are in doubt as to whether to send certain information via email, check this with your supervisor first. Systematic Monitoring: Users of a corporate email account expressly waive any right of privacy in anything they create, store, send or receive. A company can, but is not obliged to, monitor emails without prior notification. If there is evidence that you are not adhering to the guidelines set out in corporate policy, Businesses reserves the right to take disciplinary action, including termination and/or legal action. Best practices: A Company considers email as an important means of communication and recognizes the importance of proper email content and speedy replies in conveying a professional image and delivering good customer service. Users should take the same care in drafting an email as they would for any other communication. Therefore A Company wishes users to adhere to the following guidelines: • Writing emails: • Write well-structured emails and use short, descriptive subjects. • A Company’s email style is informal. This means that sentences can be short and to the point. You can start your email with ‘Hi’, or ‘Dear’, and the name of the person. Messages can be ended with ‘Best Regards’. Don’t use Internet abbreviations and characters such as smiley’s. • Signatures must include your name, job title and company name. A disclaimer will be added underneath your signature. • You should must spell check all mails prior to transmission. • Do not send unnecessary attachments. Compress attachments larger than 1MB before sending them. • Do not write emails in capitals. • Do not use cc: or bcc: fields unless the cc: or bcc: recipient is aware that you will be copying a mail to him/her and knows what action, to take. • If you forward mails, state clearly what action you expect the recipient to take. • Only send emails of which the content could be displayed on a public notice board. If they cannot be displayed publicly in their current state, consider rephrasing the email • Only mark emails as important if they really are important. • Replying to emails: • Emails should be answered within at least 8 working hours, but you should endeavor to answer priority emails within 4 hours. • Priority emails are emails from existing customers and business partners. Do not be misled. The usage of technology, no matter how savvy you may consider yourself to be, can & will never substitute the soft touch of a phone call or a visit. In fact, even when sending someone an email, what should trail short after is a follow-up phone call to let the person know you have sent an email and even perhaps a day or two after to assure that they have received it. Do not rely completely on these means of communication as your main method of connecting to the world. Email spam filters, Corporate Email Size Limitations, Domain Blacklisting, Corporate Anti-Virus solutions, and even just the chance of your email being lost in “cyber-space” are few amongst many reasons as to why your email may not just make it to its final destination, the person. All in all, there is a needed equilibrium between traditional communications & virtual communications (email, cell phones, text, chat, Blogs). Lean towards traditional communications methods as this will maintain your personal communicational skills razor-sharp. Use technology only as a support system in facilitating communications, and not maintaining it
