7 Ways to Write—and Send—Work Email

Slack channels, Gchats, and virtual meetings are certainly hipper ways to communicate at work, but for all its faults, email use continues to grow, with daily volume up from 293 billion pre-pandemic to more than 375 billion expected this year. That’s more than 50 emails per day, seven days a week, for every adult on earth.

Experts say the art of writing great corporate emails is tricky, but that the best often include a direct ask with a deadline. “The most important thing is to make sure that your call to action is clear,” and not lost in the middle of a paragraph, says Maria Amato, a Korn Ferry senior client partner. Here are some other thoughts from our experts: 

Mention shared interests. 

No one ignores emails from friendly people who share their passions. “If we have established anything in common, I will always mention that,” says Margie Warrell, a Korn Ferry senior partner. She recommends keeping the tone uplifting. “I always try to be upbeat and positive.” To further build collegial bonds, she forwards links or articles about shared interests.

Don’t say ‘following up.’ 

That phrase often turns people off, since it suggests the sender is trying to make a sale, not to be friendly or solve a problem. Instead, provide a specific prompt, such as “What questions or comments do you have after reviewing the report?” 

Proofread before you send.

Often typos are harmless, but sometimes they can confuse the reader. Worse, they can make you come across as sloppy or unprofessional. Also, if you mention that you are sending a file attachment, make sure the file is actually attached.

Don’t email on Mondays and Fridays unless absolutely necessary. 

Sure, there are emails that have to go out at the beginning of the week, but if you’re just trying to network, your message likely will get lost in a deluge of deadline-driven correspondence. Tuesdays, when traffic tends to be lighter, are better, and Wednesdays—before end-of-week deadlines pile on—can also work.

For busy executives, send early or late. 

When facing overflowing inboxes, it’s best to send either early in the morning or in the evening to avoid having your message get lost. “Otherwise it gets buried in their inbox midday,” says Kendra Marion, vice president of global assessment services at Korn Ferry. She also features a clear task or action in the subject line, such as “Requesting your sign-off” or “Scheduling a meeting this week.” 

Provoke a response. 

If someone hasn’t replied, try using the subject line, “Did you see my earlier note?” “That’s the big gun,” says Amato. “You can overuse it—but it does get attention.”

Your closing words count.

Signing off with “thank you” instead of “see you tomorrow” can reveal more information than you intend. Half of email recipients can gauge the sender’s mood by their sign-on and sign-off, according to a 2023 survey. Also, semiformal etiquette is now the norm (both the formal “Dear [recipient]” and informal “Hey” are rarely used). Half of users skip signing off altogether, and just close emails with their name.

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