Inspiring Workplaces: Does Your E-mail Need a Vacation?

Published: Wed, 03/08/17

Humor at Work

ISSUE 669 - Mar. 8, 2017


			Does Your E-mail Need a Vacation?

	Does your e-mail need to go on a little getaway, maybe even just overnight or for a romantic 3-day weekend? If there's too much "egad!" over e-mail in your workplace, consider some of these trends and research findings: Germany has passed a country-wide law banning workplaces from sending e-mails to employees after work hours. Many European companies are doing the same, configuring servers to block e-mails within half an hour outside of normal work hours. Daimler corporation has created an optional "Mail On Holiday" program: If you send an e-mail to someone who is on vacation you'll get a response notifying you of an alternative person to contact and a warning that your message will be deleted - so if you truly need to reach the vacationing person, you'll have to resend the e-mail after they return. This optional program prevents people from returning to a gazillion e-mails. More and more companies (such as Atos, a France-based technology services firm), are banning all use of internal e-mail because they believe it's too distracting, it reduces productivity, it's too stressful, and it results in poorer team collaboration. Research has found that employees who get e-mails after working hours often get angry and resentful, and they're more likely to perceive the tone of after-work e-mails as negative. A study from the University of California found that when e-mail bans are implemented or the times when you can check e-mail severely limited, people are more relaxed, their heart rates are lower, they stay focused longer on single tasks, and they are less likely to feel overwhelmed at work. If you can't implement major e-mail reforms at work, then at least consider some smaller steps: Try creating e-mail free hours, half-days, or twice-a-week internal e-mail bans. Some studies suggest that just limiting e-mail checks to certain times of the day (a practice endorsed by every time management/productivity expert on the planet) has just as much impact as banning e-mail outright, with employees reporting far less stress, better sleep habits, and improved social connections.

		Mike's Fun at Work Tip

Speaking of out of office e-mails, try adding some humor to your out-of- office email automated responses. Here are 10 rather outrageous examples to serve as a bit of inspiration: 10 of the Best Out of Office E-mail Replies We Could Find
		Quote of the Week

“Humor is the most underrated universal solvent.” Robert Reich
		It's a Wacky World

The next time you're worried that you might be over-packing for your holidays, consider this: For a nine-day visit to Indonesia, Saudi Arabia's King is taking 459 tonnes of luggage with him, including two Mercedes-Benz. (Boy I'd like to see the look on the gate agent's face when he checks in...)

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