NO E-MAIL FRIDAYS
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No E-Mail Fridays is a good idea and it can improve work performance and personnel relationships. It will improve communication among the employees. Some employees communicate to each other through email yet they are in the same office. The No E-Mail Fridays will reintroduce the human element in business since the workers will be forced to talk to each other, whether on the phone or in direct contact. In addition, it will improve communication by reducing misunderstanding. This is especially crucial for businesses since a misunderstanding can have severe consequences such as loss of business. Some of the people do not use clear and grammatical language in their email communication and this leads to misunderstanding. Moreover, people get immediate feedback when they communicate directly. This is unlike when they are using emails, since they can wait for many days before getting a response. Some people do not get any form of feedback when they send emails.
Banning emails may not be the most appropriate solution in this situation. it might not solve all the noted problems. As new technologies continue to emerge, employees need knowledge on the best way to use them. They need to acquire skills and abilities that will enable them to understand and act on the information received (Payne 2009, 390). No E-Mail Fridays would increase productivity. This is especially the case when workers have to depend on each other’s feedback. Since the workers will be able to get the answers they need immediately, they will be able to continue with their work. In addition, employees will not spend a lot of time scanning, reading, and responding to the many email messages that they receive. This reduces time wastage and enhances concentration.
No E-Mail Fridays would enhance the personal contact between coworkers. They will have to talk to each other on the phone if they are not using emails. This will force them to socialize in different circles and they will know each other better. No email Fridays might not necessarily enhance personal contact between clients and customers. In many cases, employees are able to solve many customer related problems using an email and they do not find the need to call them. In addition, many customers might find the process of calling or visiting the office time consuming. Such customers and clients prefer emails since they are fast. By writing an email, they will be able to concentrate on other duties. On the other hand, employees communicating with the customers and the clients directly will improve the relationship that they have. When customers talk on the phone or with the employees directly, they can state out their mission clearly, clarify any issues, and provide more details as required. The employees get the chance to ask any questions that they might have. This is important as it enhances understanding between them.
No email Fridays can have positive and negative consequences depending on the situation. Some employees can push back the emails they receive to Monday, if the company ends up instilling the ban. This will increase their workload for the following week or for the weekend. They will have more cases to deal with once they reopen their email boxes. On the positive side, no email Fridays will improve teamwork in the organization. Employees have to meet and talk to each other verbally when they do not have the option of using emails. This will improve the cooperation and understanding among the team members. The members will be able to exchange and understand each other’s ideas better. Some of the conflicts in organizations occur because of misunderstanding and misinterpreting of the written communication. This problem is eliminated when people begin talking to each other verbally.
Reference
Pynes, Joan. Human Resource Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Strategic Approach. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2009