How Managers and Employers Should Compose Their Work Messages, According to Reddit Users

Part of an employee’s daily life is receiving messages from their managers and employers regarding a particular matter. Communication is vital in a working environment; without effective communication, work progress and performance would be negatively affected. Employees are advised to keep their lines open if someone emails them or sends a private message via the chosen platform. Employees should always be prepared to answer and report as soon as possible.

Moreover, the message composition is vital to make sure everything is understood. It’s essential to keep the message short, clear, and concise. Always indicate the intention and keep the message’s contents consistent. Reddit user dndunlessurgent posted on Life Pro Tips: “LPT: If you send someone you work with a message asking if you can speak to them, always let them know the reason, particularly if you are their manager.” The advice received 31.8k upvotes and 1.1k comments.

Many people agreed that this was good advice and that employers and managers often did it wrong. A manager, for example, might write, “I need to discuss something with you, and come to my office at this hour.” Then the employee overthinks what could possibly have gone wrong for the manager to send that message. It’s nerve-wracking, and you can’t prepare yourself for what’s about to happen. A person’s initial thought would be, “is he going to fire me?” or “am I going to be demoted?” Refrain from letting your employees get lost in anxious thoughts and assure them that the message means something else.

Reddit user elc0rso54 shared some examples of messages better than “I need to speak with you.” They all seem more reassuring, and you can easily understand that it has something to do with work and not the employee’s dismissal or chastisement. The Reddit user replied with the comment, “You don’t even have to go into a lot of detail; just change the tone of the question:

“Hey, mind if I run something by you?”
“Hey, can I get your input on something?”
“Hey, need to pass you some information when you have a chance.”
“Hey, do you have a minute to discuss X?”
“Hey, mind if I share something with you?”

These email compositions are good for the heart, and the employees’ mind is quickly put to ease. For this reason, they can quickly answer the manager or employer’s question without any signs of anxiety. Communicating through messages is a lot different from a face-to-face meeting. In a message, if it’s too formal, you won’t be able to determine the tone and emotion of the sender. Whereas in personal meetings, you can easily see their intention and hear the tone of their words. That’s why misunderstandings and assumptions quickly happen via messaging platforms.

Whether an employer or an employee, it’s best to be careful about wording when composing emails. The key is to be straightforward. Do not start with only a greeting and a request — put it all in one message. It also saves time, and the matter at hand will be given attention as soon as the person has read the message.

Many Reddit users have participated in the discussion, and you might also have something to share. Find your people in the comment section and talk about things regarding your work life that you still need to rant about. Also, if you are an employer or manager, you should read the discussion and share your piece.