Why is ‘Kind regards’ a bad sign off

[SuperiorM]

So, I’ve just heard that ‘Kind Regards’ is considered passive aggressive. Maybe I’m just old and out of touch but it sounds more like a more friendly’Best wishes’ to me. I suppose I’m going to have to stop using it.

🤣

💯

That's rude, unquestionably.

It's better than 'Best Wishes', that always makes me think of birthday cards.

I do hear you!

I think in my position "apologies" just doesn't work. I'm big on 'thanks for this in advance' but I never apologise either up the chain or down.

I've kept my job thus far 😃

A quarter of a century ago pass-ag wasnt a thing

Yes!

I have a hierarchy:

People I know well and like - Cheers! Thanks! Best wishes, happy holiday, have a good weekend, etc

People I know and don’t really care for - All best

People I can’t stand, or who have really pissed me off - Best.

Oh but it was tho.....

I'd take a thousand dispatches from Smith in preference to an email with no header indicating the content or whether action/a reply was requested and 'Dearest Mooncup, i trust that this email finds you well in these unprecedented times. Thank you so much for your kind invitation vis-a-vis the Spangle Muggler Zorbwanglers of East Mercia conference on the 17th instant. Unfortunately, due to a number of conflicting demands upon my schedule, it is to my utmost regret that I shall be unable to partake of aforesaid training opportunity and I will henceforth be withdrawing from the festivities and undoubted learning opportunities you felt magnanimous enough to proffer this humble office.

As ever, I doff my metaphorical carapace to you and shall forever send you my best regards,

Randolph.
Room 101
Third windowless box on the furthermost arm of the galaxy
The Hell that is this Organisation in Which We Labour
Swindon
Wiltshire
Fair England
UK

Extension 666

For fuck's sake, Randolph, we all know this means you'd rather extract your own eyeballs with a spoon than attend Diversity training. We all feel the same about it. Can you not just send 'Apologies. Unable to attend. Randolph'? so I don't have to waste a second longer than I have to in reading it?

All my DH's company internal emails are typed IN CAPITALS. I REMARKED WITH SOME SURPRISE THAT FIRSTLY THAT MAKES THEM QUITE HARD TO READ AND SECONDLY IT'S GENERALLY REGARDED AS SHOUTING THESE DAYS.
He said it's been done that way since they used telex for communications and they're not going to change it now. Knobs.

On a slightly broader note, Covid really made me realise what a shit communication tool email is.

In lieu of quick informal chats, everything was being emailed, leading to massive additional, unnecessary communication & potential for misunderstanding.

I realised my own tendency to pad out emails, and now make myself do a quick scan to edit before sending. I also decided if any email went longer than 1/4 page, I needed to find another way to communicate.

The whole thing has interested me so much that I'm collaborating on a research project (will be a paper) on team management & communication post-Covid.

🤣

I'm loving Smith's telegram too!

Kind regards is normal. Regards means “I hope you are dead by teatime”.

There is absolutely no need to use kind regards ever, people will respect you a lot more
if you leave it off.

My boss used ti send emails like this because he thought his 'older clients appreciated it'

Then I got an email from one of the clients with "IF WE'RE CONVERSING LIKE THIS SEND A CARRIER PIGEON AND BILL ME".

Bloody loved that client, our imaginary pigeon was named Antonio.

One of my old bosses used 'regards' I remember once she send an email telling us as a team that we were doing something wrong which resulted in a few follow up emails and futher clarification. In fairness there were some absolute morons in the team and she signed off the last email 'Retards'. Still not sure if it was accidental.

What do you suggest as an alternative? I'm currently favouring "yours, screaming endlessly into the void"

ooft! I don't use any superfluous greetings or endings!

My emails start with the individual's name and end with my name. No Dears, Heys, Hiyas, KRs, Bests, CheerieByeWells.

Life is too short for that meaningless crap.

I think in my position "apologies" just doesn't work. I'm big on 'thanks for this in advance' but I never apologise either up the chain or down.

I agree & wish I could avoid it entirely. It's a bit of a necessary evil in my workplace tho.

My line manager uses a line 'sorry if I missed it' when she's looking for something I should have sent & haven't. I appreciate it as it's a kind way of saying 'I really need x, where is it?' (I wouldn't mind if she said that either, we get on well!)

I really get irritated when people just ignore emails - when they don't want to engage or do what's asked. When it's colleagues at my own level, it's really PA & annoying - tell me straight, I don't mind! Email is a pain in the ass but I make sure to action all emails sent to me, even if it's to say 'let's discuss', I never ignore one.

This reminds me of the, probably apocryphal, story about the person who received a snotty missive from their bank manager. They sent a telegram back: “fuck you. Stop. Strong letter to follow. Stop.

Kind regards - standard sign off

Regards - You have pissed me off

Just ‘Halo’ - You’re fucking lucky I’ve even answered, and don’t expect a Xmas card in my lifetime

Cheers - quick thanks to team

Many thanks, much appreciated - I know I’ve fucked up, and appreciate you digging me out

🍷- to work friend, hang on in there to home time

Ugh I hate Best wishes. The friendliness makes it feel sooooo insincere- I mostly work with people who I've met once or twice and know nothing about.

I'm more a fan of informal emails as and when they're warranted. So I'll send "Magic! Thanks so much" with no sign off, rather than put Best Wishes to someone who for all I know voted for Brexit or parks over their neighbour's drive.

Caveat: yes I do know that Kind regards and Best wishes are basically the same sentiment, but KRs is definitely more formal. And yes I use KRs as well.

Kind regards is absolutely fine. I've always used it and always will.

😱😱😱

It's certainly better than "piss off" anyway.