Comments on: Weird Abuses of Language in the Workplace http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/ spirituality in the workplace Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:51:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: GhostGirl http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1874 GhostGirl Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:27:14 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1874 I surveyed coworkers and they pretty much agreed on the following: 1. Please would have been nice. 2. They would prefer that notifications of moves come verbally from their manager, in which case the truncated notice from facilities is perfectly acceptable. But something that is going to affect them this greatly should always be verbal as one gets pretty attached to one's cube. 3. For mass emailings, they don't really mind this kind of language, particularly since the person sending them out would not have time to personalize them. For a personal email, they would prefer something a little more... personalized. I surveyed coworkers and they pretty much agreed on the following:

1. Please would have been nice.
2. They would prefer that notifications of moves come verbally from their manager, in which case the truncated notice from facilities is perfectly acceptable. But something that is going to affect them this greatly should always be verbal as one gets pretty attached to one’s cube.

3. For mass emailings, they don’t really mind this kind of language, particularly since the person sending them out would not have time to personalize them. For a personal email, they would prefer something a little more… personalized.

]]> By: Ms. Theologian http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1870 Ms. Theologian Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:46:54 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1870 It's always hard to know in these "Dear Expert..." questions how much other information is relevant. I know that I received emails like this with literally nothing else, so I assumed there was nothing else. But, of course, if it had been couched in all sorts of decent verbal communication, it would come off much differently. It’s always hard to know in these “Dear Expert…” questions how much other information is relevant. I know that I received emails like this with literally nothing else, so I assumed there was nothing else. But, of course, if it had been couched in all sorts of decent verbal communication, it would come off much differently.

]]> By: h sofia http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1869 h sofia Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:43:48 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1869 You're right; it's not an either/or. In my mind I was thinking that the person would already know that they are moving, and this was just the notification of "where to." But that was just how it worked at the places I used to be employed at (usually the manager or someone from facilities would have talked to us about it). It does take on a different tone in my mind if that were the ONLY communication the employee ever received about the move. You’re right; it’s not an either/or. In my mind I was thinking that the person would already know that they are moving, and this was just the notification of “where to.” But that was just how it worked at the places I used to be employed at (usually the manager or someone from facilities would have talked to us about it). It does take on a different tone in my mind if that were the ONLY communication the employee ever received about the move.

]]> By: Ms. Theologian http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1865 Ms. Theologian Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:30:28 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1865 But it's not really an either/or situation, right? There's a happy medium that includes an opening, relevant information, and a closing that leaves the reader feeling respected. To me, in a corporate environment, this reads as if the worker has no feelings, and doesn't care if she/he immediately has to pack up all belongings and move. It's like an eviction notice. Even though you might get to move to a nicer place, you'd still like language that is respectful and doesn't feel like you're being kicked out. But it’s not really an either/or situation, right? There’s a happy medium that includes an opening, relevant information, and a closing that leaves the reader feeling respected. To me, in a corporate environment, this reads as if the worker has no feelings, and doesn’t care if she/he immediately has to pack up all belongings and move. It’s like an eviction notice. Even though you might get to move to a nicer place, you’d still like language that is respectful and doesn’t feel like you’re being kicked out.

]]> By: h sofia http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1864 h sofia Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:29:11 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1864 That seems abrupt, but I wouldn't put it in the category of rude. I don't know what the protocol is, but a cheery greeting and goodbye doesn't seem necessary to me for conveying something so simple as that. And some people are really bad with email communication; they're not writers. Men seem more prone to this than women, in my experience. My father, for example, RARELY sends an email with more than one line in it. He isn't so terse in person, but for a number of reasons, email is not something he feels comfortable with, and so he says absolutely as little as possible. One factor is that he types incredibly slow (as in 15 wpm). I do agree that "Be advised" is unnecessarily formal, but I'd rather get an email like the one above than some others - full of fluff words and grammatical errors. That seems abrupt, but I wouldn’t put it in the category of rude. I don’t know what the protocol is, but a cheery greeting and goodbye doesn’t seem necessary to me for conveying something so simple as that.

And some people are really bad with email communication; they’re not writers. Men seem more prone to this than women, in my experience. My father, for example, RARELY sends an email with more than one line in it. He isn’t so terse in person, but for a number of reasons, email is not something he feels comfortable with, and so he says absolutely as little as possible. One factor is that he types incredibly slow (as in 15 wpm).

I do agree that “Be advised” is unnecessarily formal, but I’d rather get an email like the one above than some others - full of fluff words and grammatical errors.

]]> By: Ms. Theologian http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1863 Ms. Theologian Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:43:23 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1863 Oh, I don't know, I think the author of the email may communicate to people all the time and has chosen this as the presumptive style. But think of those emails I told you about where someone related to one client or another sends me something that simply says, "Go to this site. Download this program. Call me for help installing" and I'm like, "WHO ARE YOU?" A tad more explanation, and the word please functions in just about all situations. Oh, I don’t know, I think the author of the email may communicate to people all the time and has chosen this as the presumptive style.

But think of those emails I told you about where someone related to one client or another sends me something that simply says, “Go to this site. Download this program. Call me for help installing” and I’m like, “WHO ARE YOU?” A tad more explanation, and the word please functions in just about all situations.

]]> By: GhostGirl http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1862 GhostGirl Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:27:10 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2008/02/18/weird-abuses-of-the-imperative-in-the-workplace/#comment-1862 Even just the simple addition of the word "please" would soften this one up. But honestly--this person is most likely in facilities. He does not need to communicate on a regular basis and as such, his emails convey the needed information and no more. Such positions rely not on people but on things. To me, the suggested rephrasing comes off as a trifle irritating and condescending, but I am admittedly one of those people who has to force herself to re-read communications for tone as I tend to be a "just the facts" sort of person myself. Hence, my annoyance at our company trying to put Ops people in outside facing roles. It simply isn't part of the mentality. :-) Even just the simple addition of the word “please” would soften this one up.

But honestly–this person is most likely in facilities. He does not need to communicate on a regular basis and as such, his emails convey the needed information and no more. Such positions rely not on people but on things. To me, the suggested rephrasing comes off as a trifle irritating and condescending, but I am admittedly one of those people who has to force herself to re-read communications for tone as I tend to be a “just the facts” sort of person myself.

Hence, my annoyance at our company trying to put Ops people in outside facing roles. It simply isn’t part of the mentality. :-)

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