We will begin with communication, and eventually will discuss introductions, business luncheons, dress and grooming, workplace ethics, and other various topics suggested by readers which fall under the category of "need to know for success in the workplace."  Readers may submit legitimate discussion topics via email.

     According to the National Organization on Disabilities, there are 54 million men, women, and children in the USA with some type of disability.   In order to ensure that we accomplish the intended goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, we need to learn some tips on interacting with individuals with disabilities.

Ask First and Ask Second - Don't Assume:
- Offer assistance to an individual with a disability only if the person appears to need it.  If s/he does want help; ask exactly what you should do before you act.

Be Sensitive About Physical Contact:
People with disabilities consider their equipment to be part of their personal space so don't push or touch a person's  head, wheelchair, scooter, or cane without being asked to do so.

Think Before Speaking:
- Always put the person first:  "Person with a disability" versus "Disabled person" and "People with disabilities" rather than "The disabled."  For specific disabilities, say "Person with Tourette's Syndrome" or "Personal who has Cerebral Palsy."  Avoid outdated terms like "handicapped" or "crippled."  Be aware that may individuals with disabilities dislike jargon or euphemistic terms like "physically challenged" and "differently abled."
- Talk directly to the person with the disability, not to the companion, aide, or sign-language interpreter.
- Respect the privacy of an individual with a disability and do not inquire concerning the disability.
 
 

A Final Word
People with disabilities are individuals with families, jobs, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and problems and joys. While the disability is an integral part of who they are, it alone does not define them. Don't make them into disability heroes or victims. Treat them as individuals.
 
 

Wheelchairs and Mobility Impairments:
People who use wheelchairs have different disabilities and varying abilities. Some can use their arms and hands. Some can get out of their wheelchairs and even walk for short distances.

- Don't lean over someone in a wheelchair to shake another person's hand or ask a wheelchair user to hold coats.
- Setting your drink on the desktop attached to someone's wheelchair is a definite no-no. 
- If you help someone down a curb without waiting for instructions, you may dump her out of the chair. 
- When talking to a wheelchair user, grab your own chair and sit at her level or stand at a slight distance to aid in making eye contact with you. 
- People who use canes or crutches need their arms to balance themselves, so never grab them. People who are mobility-impaired may lean on a door for support as they open it. Pushing the door open from behind or unexpectedly opening the door may cause them to fall. Even pulling out or pushing in a chair may present a problem. Always ask before offering help. 
- If you offer a seat to a person who is mobility-impaired, keep in mind that chairs with arms or with higher seats are easier for some people to use. 
- People who are not visibly mobility-impaired may have needs related to their mobility. For example, a person with a respiratory or heart condition may have trouble walking long distances or walking quickly. Be prepared to offer assistance with reaching for, grasping or lifting objects, opening doors and display cases, and operating vending machines and other equipment. 
 

Individuals Who are Blind or Visually Impaired:
People who are blind know how to orient themselves and get around on the street. They are competent to travel unassisted, though they may use a cane or a guide dog. A person may have a visual impairment that is not obvious. Be prepared to offer assistance-for example in reading-when asked.

- Identify yourself before you make physical contact with a person who is blind. Tell him your name-and your role if it's appropriate, such as security guard, usher, case worker, receptionist or fellow student. And be sure to introduce him to others who are in the group, so that he's not excluded. 
- People who are blind need their arms for balance, so offer your arm-don't take his-if he needs to be guided. (However, it is appropriate to guide a blind person's hand to a banister or the back of a chair to help direct him to a stairway or a seat.) 
- If the person has a guide dog, walk on the side opposite the dog. As you are walking, describe the setting, noting any obstacles, such as stairs ("up" or "down") or a big crack in the sidewalk. Other hazards include: revolving doors, half-opened filing cabinets or doors, and objects protruding from the wall at head level such as hanging plants or lamps. If you are going to give a warning, be specific. Hollering, "Look out!" does not tell the person if he should stop, run, duck or jump. 
- If you are giving directions, give specific, nonvisual information. Rather than say, "Go to your right when you reach the office supplies," which assumes the person knows where the office supplies are, say, "Walk forward to the end of this aisle and make a full right." 
- If you need to leave a person who is blind, inform him first and let him know where the exit is, then leave him near a wall, table, or some other landmark. 
- Don't touch the person's cane or guide dog. The dog is working and needs to concentrate. The cane is part of the individual's personal space. If the person puts the cane down, don't move it. Let him know if it's in the way. 
- Offer to read written information-such as the menu, merchandise labels or bank statements-to customers who are blind. Count out change so that they know which bills are which. 
 

Individuals Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing:
American sign language (ASL) is an entirely different language from English, with a syntax all its own. Speech reading (lip reading) is difficult for people who are Deaf if their first language is ASL because the majority of sounds in English are formed inside the mouth, and it's hard to speech read a second language.
People who are hard of hearing, however, communicate in English. They use some hearing but may rely on amplification and/or seeing the speaker's lips to communicate effectively.

There is a range of communication preferences and styles among people with hearing loss that cannot be explained in this brief space. It is helpful to note that the majority of late deafened adults do not communicate with sign language, do use English and may be candidates for writing and assistive listening devices to help improve communication. People with cochlear implants, like other people with hearing impairments, will usually inform you what works best for them.

- When the exchange of information is complex-such as during a job interview or doctor's visit or when reporting a crime-the most effective way to communicate with a native signer is through a qualified sign-language interpreter.
- For a simple interaction-such as ordering in a restaurant or registering for a hotel room-writing back and forth is usually okay. 
- If you have trouble understanding the speech of a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, let her know. 
- When using a sign-language interpreter, look directly at the person who is Deaf, and maintain eye contact to be polite. Talk directly to the person.
- People who are deaf need to be included in the decision-making process for issues that affect them; don't decide for them. 
- Before speaking to a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, make sure that you get her attention by extending an arm, waving a hand, tapping a shoulder or flickering the lights. 
- Rephrase, rather than repeat, sentences that the person doesn't understand. 
- When talking, face the person. 
- Speak clearly. Avoid chewing gum, smoking or obscuring your mouth with your hand while speaking. 
- There is no need to shout at a person who is deaf or hard of hearing. If the person uses a hearing aid, it will be calibrated to normal voice levels; your shout will just sound distorted. 
 

People With Speech Disabilities:
A person who has had a stroke, is severely hard of hearing, uses a voice prosthesis or has a stammer or other type of speech disability may be difficult to understand.

- Give the person your full attention. Don't interrupt or finish the person's sentences.
- If you have trouble understanding, don't nod. Just ask him to repeat. 
- If you are not sure whether you have understood, you can repeat for verification. 
- If, after trying, you still cannot understand the person, ask him to write it down or to suggest another way of facilitating communication. 
- Don't tease or laugh at a person with a speech disability. 
 

For additional and more inclusive information regarding disability etiquette written by Judy Cohen in conjunction with the educational efforts of the United Spinal Association, call 800-444-0120, email publications@unitedspinal.org or visit  www.unitedspinal.org.

 

ATTIRE/DINING TIPS for INTERVIEW LUNCHEON

     The initial intent of this section was to address the negative effects of poor dining etiquette during an interview luncheon.  In the research process it became apparent that to present a comprehensive picture, a significant number of subjects must be covered as you will see below.

     Often when an individual seeks employment and has interviewed exceptionally well at the initial meeting, company personnel will invite that individual to a second interview during a business luncheon.  While the issue of appropriate attire has usually been put to rest through  1] early research of the corporate climate and  2] the actual first interview, there remains the nerve-wracking issue of dining in public with strangers who hold in their hands the key to your immediate employment! 

     As with the previous stages of a job search, a little research into dining etiquette, some planning, and much  practice will alleviate your fears and prepare you to relax and enjoy the experience.  In fact, how you make your way around a dining table may actually secure the position that will eventually put bread on your own table!
 
 
 
 
 

     Because this is a second interview, the appropriate attire remains business professional.  [If you are uncertain as to what constitutes business professional at a specific company, call their H.R. department directly before that first interview to ask.]  It is always safe to wear a traditional dark suit, white cotton shirt, and silk tie or a skirted navy, black, or gray suit and professional blouse.  This semi-formal attire will fare you well during any unspecified business function.

     Remember, as with all interviews, to limit your jewelry and makeup and to forego cologne and perfumes.  And ladies, place your handbag inside your briefcase or leave it in your car.  Polish your shoes, your understanding of the target company, and your ability to make pleasant conversation at a dining table! 

     Remember also, the more comfortable you are in your clothes, the more relaxed you will be during the meal.  The more relaxed you are during the meal, the better you will be at marketing your skills.
 
 
 
 
 

     If it is true that the way an individual behaves at a dining table is indicative of the way s/he will conduct business, your goal should be a display of good manners, courtesy, respect, and trust;  a solid merging of social graces and business professionalism.
 

Arrival
     It should go without saying that you must arrive at least ten minutes early to check your appearance, to remove your coat, and to prepare to greet your host with a smile and firm handshake.

     Once you have arrived, checked your appearance, stowed your outer garments, acknowledged your host, and been introduced to others at the table, wait to sit until your host has indicated you should or until s/he is seated. 
 

Napkins
     When your host has opened his/her napkin, signaling the beginning of the meal, you may follow the lead.  Open your napkin below the table without great fanfare.  Remember, it is not a national flag to be unfurled ceremoniously.  [And it should NEVER be tucked into your collar as a bib.  Save that behavior for family seafood night, not business luncheons!]

     Keep your napkin in your lap throughout the meal, using it to intermittently blot your mouth.  If you must leave the table to answer a phone call [emergencies only, please--and NOT your own cell phone, which should be turned off!] or to visit the rest room [NEVER announcing that particular destination, of course], place the napkin, soiled side down, on your chair or to the LEFT of your plate to signal the server that you will be returning soon.

     A cloth napkin should not be used to horde food that cannot be swallowed.  If you discover you have ingested a bone or another less-than-tasty morsel, discreetly remove it from your mouth between two fingers and place it on the edge of your plate.  If the sight of it will be displeasing, excuse yourself from the table and visit the rest room for disposal.  Remember, whatever you place inside the napkin will be discovered, and perhaps displayed, by either the server or bus person during or at the end of your meal.

     When you are officially finished with your meal and are leaving the table, place your unfolded napkin on the table to the RIGHT of your plate.  This is an understood signal that your meal has been completed.

*Note:Napkins should not be crumpled at any time during the meal and should NEVER, EVER  be used as a hankie!  In fact, a hankie should never, ever be used at a table--excuse yourself to attend to such needs.
 
 

Ordering
     Once again, look to your host for direction concerning foods to order.  If the host orders first, follow his/her lead.  If s/he defers to you to place your order first, ask for recommendations.  If the host has not previously eaten in the restaurant and cannot make a recommendation, use common sense in ordering.  If your menu carries prices, stay in the middle of the offered price range. 

     Avoid "saucy" foods that may drip on your clothing, such as spagetti, or foods that are new to you.  This is not the time to be adventurous.  Stay with the standards such as a fruit or vegetable plate, chicken breast, or steak and baked potato.  Also, it  is best to stay with conventional drinks such as coffee or tea, soft drinks or water.  Do NOT order an alcoholic drink even if your host does or if you believe it would help "relax" you.  Employers would rather an interviewee stay alert as well as top-side of the dining table!
 
 

Table Setting
     Now that you are beginning to relax somewhat, you have a few minutes to look over your table.  Try not to be overwhelmed by the placesetting and the utensils you find before you.  Hopefully, your luncheon setting will look much like the one below provided by waterford.com.  Take some time now to familiarize yourself with the following diagram.

Tips to remember:

• When in doubt, watch your host and table mates to determine what to do
• Always use utensils from the outside inward to plate: forks = left, knives/spoons = right, dessert = above
• Keep blades of knives turned toward plate and bread knife blade turned downward toward yourself
• Cups are above your plate; glassware sets to top right of plate positioned by height beginning with water goblet
• Bread plate/ butter knife is to top left of plate: each bite is to be torn, buttered individually on plate, then eaten
• Salad plates are sometimes found immediately to left of plate/silverware, below bread plate
• If your napkins slips to floor, leave it and signal server for a clean one
• Once the meal begins, elbows are forbidden on table; wrists can rest on table, idle hand should be in lap
• NEVER, EVER insult establishment's cook by seasoning food before tasting!
• Do NOT reach for item on table - ask nearest person to pass it
• Pass breadbasket, salad dressing, salt and pepper together, etc. to the right; Pass food to the left
• Pass gravy/syrup/creamer conveyances with handles turned toward recipient
• Fill soup spoon with soup from cooler sides of bowl using a circular motion away from you, then tip soup into mouth 
• Remember to say Please and Thank you to your server AND your host!

Eating Tips
     When should you begin to eat?  If you are in a small group, wait until everyone at your table has been served.  However, if it appears that there will be an extended wait for one or more of the meals and you are encouraged to begin eating by your host, please do so.  The polite behavior would be to eat slowly while you wait for the others to be served.  If the group is extremely large [eight or more], there is no mandate to wait.  You begin as the meal arrives.

     There are two basic styles of using your utensils during a meal.  It would be beneficial to practice both to see which is easier for you to master.

The American Standard Style
This style is the most familiar to those of us in the United States.  Using the hand with which you write, hold the fork tines up and balanced between the first knuckle of the middle finger and the tip of the index finger with your thumb steadying the handle.  While most of your meal can be cut and eaten using only the fork, some foods will demand a knife.  When cutting into a steak, for example, place your fork in the hand with which you do not write, tines down, and grasp the knife with your opposite hand.  Cut only one or two bites at a time.  Place your knife on the top of your plate with the sharp edge toward you [avoid touching the table please] and transfer your fork back to your writing hand.  Continue with your meal.  Remember that you will use the fork without help from your knife for even the most difficult foods, such as peas.

European or "Continental" Style
Many individuals prefer this style because it seems more sensible .  The fork remains in the left hand and the knife remains in the right throughout the meal.  The fork, however, is held with the tines down.   Because it is already on the fork tines, once food is cut it can be popped directly into the mouth.  The fork and knife also work in unison against such stubborn foods as peas.

• Once you use your utensil, no part [even a clean handle] should ever touch the table surface
• If merely pausing during a meal, place fork with tines down over knife, forming an inverted V on your plate
• Second servings necessitate placing both knife and fork on right side of plate to allow serving room
• When meal is completed, knife [blade toward you]  and fork [tines up or down and to left of knife] should be paired together diagonally or horizontally across plate
• Make certain that all other utensils are placed on flat-surface dishes to avoid accidents during bussing
• Do NOT stack your plates or push them away from you - leave them as you found them

Thanks to the web site at SUNY Oswego, we have tips below on when to use fingers, forks, or spoons!
 
 

And what foods to avoid altogether. . .
 

   The recently observed elevator behavior of on-campus students emphasizes a definite need to put into writing certain generally understood rules connected with riding elevators.  By becoming aware of and faithfully observing these unofficial rules, those individuals new to the ritual can have an elevated experience !
 
 

     If you are going up or down a single floor, there is no need to worry about this section.  You don't need an elevator!  Walk!  The effort will be appreciated greatly by both your own body and by the e-riders who are eager to reach their more distant destinations.  The only exceptions should be those made for individuals with physical limitations or large packages!

     If you are traveling several floors up or down, and have arrived at the elevator to find a lit button indicating the direction you desire to travel, do nothing but WAIT.  Continuous button pushing may make you feel better about the wait, but it will not shorten that wait.

     If your elevator has a multi-button indicator, and the one that is lit calls a car going in the direction opposite of the one you desire, DO NOT PUSH ANY MORE BUTTONS !  Wait for the car to make a return trip or find a completely different elevator.
 
 

   Stand to the side of the elevator doors while waiting.  As most Americans do when driving cars on the highway or strolling on a sidewalk, choose the area to the right side of the elevator.  This allows disembarking passengers to quickly exit into an uncongested area.   The sooner the passengers exit, the sooner the next group can fill the empty car. 

     While this should be a "duh" situation,  it is amazing how many individuals choose to stand directly in front of closed elevator doors and remain standing in front of those doors after they open, thus blocking individuals who are fighting to exit the car before said door slams them into the side of the opening!  These are obviously the same individuals who do not understand the concept of "wait your turn" or who "dared" and "double-dared" their way through childhood.  Please, play nice people.  Those waiting to enter an elevator should first get out of the way of those exiting the elevator!

     Individuals exiting the elevator also should play nice.  This is not the running of the bulls at Pamplona;  it is merely the end of an elevator ride.  There is no need to push and shove as you exit. 

     While there is no gender or age preferences during this process, consideration should be given to those in wheel chairs, on crutches, with mobilized bookbags, or bad attitudes bordering on rudeness.  Usually, however, the procedure is plain and simple -- those closest to the door are the first to leave the car. 

     "Move to the back of the elevator, please," was a line customarily heard when department store elevator operators were common.  Fully automated cars are the norm these days, and the voice of reason is expected to replace the e-operator.  If you will be traveling in the car for many floors, step to the rear.  If you will be leaving the elevator within the next three or four floors, don't move so far to the rear that you will have to crawl over other passengers to exit when your floor is reached.  Common sense should prevail.

     If many people are exiting on your floor, a courteous gesture would be to hold the door open as the group travels through.  It is NOT courteous to hold the door open, and thus hold up traffic, while you chat with a friend about the latest classroom catastrophe or the workplace weekly wrongdoing.  If your conversation will be a lengthly one, step aside and out of the way.  Then take the next elevator.
 
 

   Standard Operating Procedure in the U.S. for riding in an elevator is as follows:

• Individuals enter an elevator

• They move to rear or side of car depending on length of anticipated journey

• They leave ample space between self and other riders if car is not crowded [Unlike members of numerous other cultures, Americans seem to need a lot of personal space whenever possible!]

• They turn to face doors, unless in observation car with rear-glass encasement

• They tell person closest to location panel which of the numbered buttons they wish pushed [If you are in the front of the car by the location panel, you assume responsibility of an acting elevator operator.]

• They DO NOT SING, HUM, WHISTLE along with the music--unless alone or with a group of intimate friends or other members of their barbershop quartet

• They may nod or speak a hello, but most ride silently to destination

• When entering car while in an ongoing conversation, most individuals keep the volume low or terminate the discussion

• Food or drink is usually covered because it is being transported to another destination and is not consumed during elevator ride itself

• Trash is not left on floor or written on walls outside or in elevator

The netiquette and general communication etiquette tips which follow come largely from general experience, common sense, and tips found in Judith Martin's 1997 publication, Miss Manners' Basic Training:  Communication, Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, NY.

     The human race communicates in numerous ways, from face-to-face conversations to phone conversations [person-to-person and person-to-answering machine or voice mail] to electronic mail, to facimiles, to beepers, and even through hand-written letters. 

     It is not always easy to know exactly which electronic method is best for any given situation.   The following tidbits are presented to ease the confusion generally associated with communication dilemmas of the new millenium.
 
 

     Little did Mr. Alexander Graham Bell know on that fateful March day in 1876 when he spoke his famous words, "Mr. Watson--come here--I want to see you," that during the upcoming centuries his descendants would be conveying similar messages via pagers, answering machines, and voice mail from cordless land lines, car cell phones, and office speaker /conference phones.

     It is probable that neither Bell nor Watson contemplated the sometimes disagreeable social ramifications that are now associated with these types of communicators.  Because we live in a fast-paced world where instant gratification is expected by many, these electronic intruders have become staples that are not always appreciated to the same degree by all modern man.
 

Pagers
     Let's begin with that noisy, little multi-colored harbinger of social intrusion--the Pager, commonly referred to as a Beeper!  Pagers have become a necessary evil in a modern society where latch-key kids must connect with working moms after school, parents must coordinate family chauffering duties, and spouses periodically need to verify the name of the restaurant booked for their pre-PTA supper.  There are rules concerning their use, however, which should not be overlooked--especially when that use is of a professional nature.

Rule #1: Pagers usually are equipped with a number of alerting signals AND a vibrating mechanism.  Please use the less disruptive vibration option when in a meeting or any other well-populated place.  This is especially true when interviewing for employment!

Rule #2:  If "on call" after official office hours, take precautionary measures when attending public functions to assure that a quick exit causes the least disruption.   Whenever possible, secure an aisle or backrow seat at any public function and inform the hostess of that evening party that you may have to leave early to attend to business.  Miss Manners insists that you should not even accept an invitation if you know ahead of the date that you will be "on call" and that your sudden disappearance during the event would be obvious.

Rule #3:  If your pager allows for email messages, excuse yourself from your meeting or group of cohorts to reply.  Nothing is more rude [except perhaps a phone conversation] than to completely ignore the business at hand as you hunt and peck an email answer.  Either wait to reply or remove yourself from your present locale.
 

Phones
     The landline that the caller is using may have the button pushed for speakerphone capacity.   The cell phone or cordless model that the caller decided to use may "bleed" across open airwaves.   Miss Manners suggests, therefore, that we all forego the assumption of privacy and think party-lines of olden times!  Keep your conversations clear, concise, and professional.

 Conference calls by speakerphone have specific rules which can alleviate problems:

• Initially, everyone should be notified of ALL participating parties.
• Participants should declare an intent to exit if they must leave the conversation.
• Participants should acknowledge their return to the conversation.
• Conversation segments inappropriate for speakerphones should be prefaced by a statement such as "We will continue this in private" as a signal to pick up the receiver.

 Phones messages are inevitable byproducts of busy business lives.  Sometimes messages are left with a real, live individual such as a secretary, receptionist, or administrative assistant because the targeted party is out of the office or in a meeting, or a project deadline is imminent and time is at such a premium that the luxury of a personal chat is not feasible.   It is all right to field calls using staff or voice mail or answering machines.   Just remember that both the caller and the targeted individual have certain responsibilities when it comes to preparing phone messages!
 

Targeted Individual:
Answering machines and Voice Mail should present a professional  message* to the caller explaining who the caller has reached and what is expected of them such as, "You have reached the office of Joe Blow.  Please leave name, number, time of call, and brief message."  A brief statement explaining the eventual availability of the targeted individual is suggested, as in: "I am out of the office until Monday morning at 8 a.m. on July 14 after which time I will return all calls."

Note:  *A professional message on the answering machine of anyone currently in pursuit of new employment is a MUST!  Overcome the desire to have the latest MTV hit playing in the background with a comic voiceover declaring the joke of the month!!
 

Caller:
Just as the unavailable party is responsible for providing you with clear and concise message instructions, you should attempt to leave a succinct pre-planned message explaining who you are, exactly what you desire from, or wish to share with, the targeted party, and where you may be reached, remembering to say your full phone number including area code slowly enough that the targeted party can write it without having to replay your message.
 

Phone Tag:
The game of phone tag is a common occurrence in the workplace. 
Sometimes business can be successfully transacted without the need for a person-to-person exchange, but this is accomplished only by complete and thorough voice-to-voice messages or instructions by all concerned parties. 

Usually, after several attempts by both parties to conduct an actual person-to-person exchange of information have failed, it is advisable to leave a message suggesting specific days and times of availability to enhance the possibility of connecting with one another.

Remember that follow-up is important when phone calls become phone tag.  Don't drop the ball out of frustration.  By suggesting a specific day and time of availability, business can be completed successfully! 

  Car phones and Cell phones are the masters of mobility!  However, common sense dictates that you follow these suggestions:

• Free up your hands for driving by placing your car phone in a secured holder.   Why not pick up messages BEFORE you put the car in gear or if you must take a call, pull over, stop, and talk before continuing the journey.

• Turn your phone ringer off while shopping directly after work.   Most individuals are no longer impressed by your cell phone, and many may see such store conversations as pretentious.  If business is that important, perhaps you should have stayed a little longer at the office!

• Wait until a time when the call can be placed from a landline.  You must take into consideration that the owner of the cell phone is paying for the time he is talking to you.  Why not, out of simple consideration, limit business calls to business hours from business landlines if at all possible?

• Disarm your ringer during the party at the new neighbor's housewarming or leave the phone at home.  Your cell phone has not been surgically grafted onto your physical being, and it need not accompany you wherever you go.  Miss Manners emphatically explains that after-hours business does NOT take precedence over social events to which you have been invited and have elected to attend!

• Forget securing placement of any kind if you answer a call during an interview.  As with your pager, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave your phone ringer on during an interview--either for employment or internship/co-op placement.  The quickest way to alienate yourself is to put the interviewer "on hold" while you "take a call" in the middle of answering the question, "What can you tell me about yourself?"  Your actions may well tell the interviewer more than you intend!

     As with the “party-line” approach to office phone calls, it must be assumed that faxes and email messages will be fair game to co-workers who believe a business setting negates the social rule forbidding the reading of mail addressed to another individual.  Those with a sense of business etiquette, however, will deliver the correspondence to the addressee without lingering over the text!

     Ms. Manners has developed a sensible “hierarchy of formality” for the different electronic communications.  Subconsciously, you are probably aware of the distinctions, but we should look at the rankings to be sure.  Faxed letters rank below hand-written notes and are seen as being slightly more formal than email.  Email is slightly more polite than a phone call but is still considered an informal method of conveying a message.

     What does that mean, slightly more formal, slightly more polite?  It means we must look at the general structure of communication.  Business letters conveyed through the postal service are still the official method of work-related communication.  Formal occasions such as inaugurations, weddings, and dedications require engraved invitations because of their grave importance.  A response to a letter from a friend, a message of condolence or congratulations, an invitation to an informal get-together, and a thank-you letter should all be written by hand to emphasize their importance to the communicator. 
 

Faxed Letters
     A faxed letter is slightly more formal than an email–but is still not as official as engraved or hand-written messages or those typed on company letterhead.  In business, letters and other miscellaneous information are generally faxed because of expediency.  Personal letters, such as congratulatory messages which are faxed, should be followed by a hand-written letter.

     As with cell phone messages, faxing information costs the recipient in paper and ink.  Make sure the information is sought by the addressee before transmitting unnecessary and costly documents.  Try to avoid sending unnecessary text also.  Use the smaller Fax Note cover post-it if you have just had a telephone or personal conversation regarding a specific transmission and really do not need to attach a detailed explanation.

     Also, verify the fax number of the designated recipient.   You are defeating expediency if your message meant for an individual in Ohio winds up printing out on a machine in Idaho.
 

Email Messages
     Email messages are slightly more polite than phone conversations simply because you have taken the time to type them and because they are somewhat less intrusive.  Of course the format you use when producing an email message is a contributing factor to the message’s politeness.  Just because email messages are seen as very informal, you are not exempt from using appropriate business writing techniques when constructing them.

• Continue to use a salutation even though the recipient’s name is prominently displayed at the top of the page.  Some declare that a "Dear" does not necessarily need to precede the target's name, but it is not considered incorrect to include it--and some recipients would even appreciate it.

• Use a colon [never a comma] after the salutation when sending a business-related message just as you would with a business letterhead. 

• Please continue to capitalize the first letter of the first word in each sentence while using the appropriate punctuation to close each sentence.

• Use clear, concise language avoiding the use of emote-icons, jargon, slang, and any text that could make the EEO personnel frown.  [Retain the "party-line" mentality!]

• Before hitting the Send button, make sure the "To:" has the correct addressee/s listed, the CC: and BCC: lists contain the correct names, and you have an informative Subject: line.