Most workers have standard email greetings and closings – have you changed yours since the pandemic started?
If not, you may want to change those as well as consider the overall tone of your email.
Standard closings like ‘best’, ‘all the best,’ ‘have a great day’ do not quite work for the current environment. Something like ‘hope you are well’ or ‘stay safe’ may not hit the mark either.
It is tough to know what situations an individual may be facing. Have they personally been impacted by the virus? Or a family member or close friend?
Know your audience
It is important to remember that while some may be churning along with business as usual, others may not be faring as well. Individuals may be concerned about health, finances, job stability, etc. Again, this is where tone comes in to play.
While it is not necessary to be the voice of doom and gloom, it is important to remember that we are indeed in the middle of a global pandemic so use compassion when interacting with others. Taking a kinder approach can lead to a deeper or improved relationship with the recipient.
If you’re corresponding with a client or co-worker and you do have an established humorous relationship, then it may be appropriate to use a little levity. If that’s the case, you may want to use one of these 13 email sign-offs from FlexJobs.
BBC Worklife shared additional insights and tips. When corresponding with others during these unusual times it is good practice to keep in mind that many people are still living very isolated lives. Corresponding with a personal touch, appropriate to the recipient, will help set the right tone.