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Friday, September 29, 2006
E-Mail Takes a Holiday, at Least for One Day
NPR: "PBD Worldwide Fulfillment Services chief Scott A. Dockter says that while there's been some grumbling about the policy, the practice is improving office culture -- and cutting down the amount of emails employees send across the board."
5 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I understand the thought behind banning emails like this, but really is that a good idea? Email is used so much because it is an instant and efficient way to share information. I would be interested to see if this actually works and that they employees actually stick to the rules. And what is going to happen when someone needs a document? or a picture? Do you have to print it out, walk to their cubicle, hand it to them, then they copy it into a new document? I know that that is probably not the way that they'll do things, but it seems like this is a waste of time and money, two things a CEO of a company should be concerned with.
I went to a "work etiquette" lecture this summer and one of the major points was on the use of email. I agreed with the lecturer who said that email is efficient but isn't a safe way to get a message across. The main ways of contact now are in person, on the phone, and via email (or IM). If something's important, it isn't safe to only send an email, it should be followed up with a phonecall or a conversation. I think that too many people use email as a way to avoid hard discussion because it's easy. I think that banning email once a week would be a great way to improve effective communication in a workplace. Also, it would eliminate some of the hours spent "checking email" that I end up doing far too often. However, I don't think this kind of system would ever jive at CMU. - Maddie Regan
As we all know, I hate computers. I believe in hard copies and face to face. No one can understand the tone of email or IM and when new emails enter my inbox there is the potential of being lost in the mass amouts of crap in there. Instead of email followed by face to face or phone call, switch it around. Email could just be a record of what is happening, not what is happening. People make fun of me in Stu Tech because I pick up the phone and call other offices in the building. I get "email them, ot IM them"... nah I would at least rather hear thier voice.
But I'm the minority in this debate and I understand that. I'll follow the crowd....sigh.
I like computers, but I'm still with Julie. E-mail and IM are great for scheduling and for documenting meetings or events through notes, but neither conveys the tone of a conversation very well. And cutting out all interoffice e-mail may be a bit drastic, but it seems like this company if figuring out a good balance between what has to be written down and what is best done in person - congratulating people being a great example of something best done in person!
5 comments:
I understand the thought behind banning emails like this, but really is that a good idea? Email is used so much because it is an instant and efficient way to share information. I would be interested to see if this actually works and that they employees actually stick to the rules. And what is going to happen when someone needs a document? or a picture? Do you have to print it out, walk to their cubicle, hand it to them, then they copy it into a new document? I know that that is probably not the way that they'll do things, but it seems like this is a waste of time and money, two things a CEO of a company should be concerned with.
- Jen Owen
I went to a "work etiquette" lecture this summer and one of the major points was on the use of email. I agreed with the lecturer who said that email is efficient but isn't a safe way to get a message across. The main ways of contact now are in person, on the phone, and via email (or IM). If something's important, it isn't safe to only send an email, it should be followed up with a phonecall or a conversation. I think that too many people use email as a way to avoid hard discussion because it's easy. I think that banning email once a week would be a great way to improve effective communication in a workplace. Also, it would eliminate some of the hours spent "checking email" that I end up doing far too often. However, I don't think this kind of system would ever jive at CMU. - Maddie Regan
As we all know, I hate computers. I believe in hard copies and face to face. No one can understand the tone of email or IM and when new emails enter my inbox there is the potential of being lost in the mass amouts of crap in there. Instead of email followed by face to face or phone call, switch it around. Email could just be a record of what is happening, not what is happening. People make fun of me in Stu Tech because I pick up the phone and call other offices in the building. I get "email them, ot IM them"... nah I would at least rather hear thier voice.
But I'm the minority in this debate and I understand that. I'll follow the crowd....sigh.
- Julie
I like computers, but I'm still with Julie. E-mail and IM are great for scheduling and for documenting meetings or events through notes, but neither conveys the tone of a conversation very well. And cutting out all interoffice e-mail may be a bit drastic, but it seems like this company if figuring out a good balance between what has to be written down and what is best done in person - congratulating people being a great example of something best done in person!
sometimes i miss the formality and personalization of letters and phone calls and face to face meetings.
i think this is a good idea.
we should try it in purnell for a week.
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