What do you make of this email response

[Yikitty]

Email sent by newish member of staff to senior staff member - 4 others cc’d in

Reasonable run of the mill email - enquiring about confirming a date. Email first line is “I hope you are well”

response:

”You don’t need to ask me if I am well every-time you email me unless you know something I don’t. Yes”

So it's the new member of staff who got the snarky email? I wouldn't want to stay in that job.

Incredibly rude and the sender should be told so. What a twat.

Oh, I've done that in response to absolute howlers raging at me about something when it's absolutely nothing to do with me/a load of bollocks/half the senior management, random other employees, head office and the cleaner's cat have all been copied in by the sender.

I know it pisses them off. But they've clearly written the original howler with the intent of causing distress, anxiety and apportioning blame to innocent/uninvolved parties and will undoubtedly send further histrionic emails if I don't acknowledge receipt. And it's far better than responding in kind.

It’s very rude. Hope the new member of staff is cross rather than upset.

Or, it's someone who is sick of the faux personal interest that seem to come on so many business e mails.
Just ask the question, unless you really want the answer to come straight back, which may involve MH, physical health, relationship issues, addiction etc etc

It’s such a run of the mill opening to an email I’m amazed they even noticed it let alone took the time to compose such an unnecessarily bitchy response to it!
It’s a nicety - there’s no compulsion to actually answer the question, the sender doesn’t care. But it’s just polite, innit

Thats disgusting. Its just the format now. Similarly during covid to "stay safe" which irritated me no end but Jesus, say it, don't say it, but don't chastise someone for saying it.

Also it pushes the mental load back on you, especially if you do it automatically. Now you have to remember that this is the one person you're NOT allowed to say it to.

Ffs. What happened to professionalism?

Shitty response but the opening of the email from the junior member was unnecessary. I am in IT and our emails to tend to be more to the point and I like it that way.

I’m another that doesn’t like ‘I hope you are well’ I find it fake, unnecessary, a touch subordinate.

To be honest, in my role, the only people who use it tend to be women in lower level roles. I very rarely receive it from men and never from anyone senior. It tends to be a marker of someone fairly junior or in a support function.

Of course I would never reply rudely. And if someone in my team uses it and has asked me to check an email I would gently suggest another starting line that gives them a bit more oomph but is still obviously polite. I wouldn’t tell them not to use it but I’d hope they might see the improvement if the phrase is removed or replaced.

Exactly this.

I have a colleague that starts every email with ‘hi guys!!!!!!!!!!’ I would love to reply with a go fuck your self but sadly I need this job.

No one who knows me even slightly would email me with that. "I hope you're having a less shit day than usual and are able to feel at least vaguely human" is more my level.

But that response? From a newbie? I'd assume they weren't ecstatic in their role.

the only people who use it tend to be women in lower level roles. I very rarely receive it from men and never from anyone senior. It tends to be a marker of someone fairly junior or in a support function.

This.
Leave it out if you want to look business-like, busy, and promotable.

I find it very irritating too. I wouldn't send a rude reply, or say anything though.

The reason it annoys me is that it is unnecessary, (often) insincere, and makes me feel like the sender thinks I am rude if I don't start my emails the same way.

Genuine question - what other openers would you suggest?

"Hope you are ill" 😂😂😂😂

na

That’s hilarious!

Agree with pp that perhaps they’re neurodivergent rather than rude. I’d like to think i’d keep my response kind and proportional rather than feeling disrespected

Well that's them told! That reply was a bit over the top, wasn't it?

Perhaps the other person took it as being an overly familiar and inappropriate thing to put in a business email from a junior colleague to a much more senior staff member.

Wait - is the pissy email from the new member of staff or the senior staff?

Either way it’s very very rude!!

I don't mind that as an introduction as it's quite short, but in general, time-wasting annoys me. I don't want to read about what great/terrible weather we've been having, I want to get to the point. I also don't want to be told what kind of weekend to have at the end. I know I sound like a cantankerous cow. That's because I'm a menopausal cantankerous cow. But I don't think you can please everyone - some people like that sort of thing. It greases the wheels. As I said, it's OK if it's very short. But I think the reply was rude and unnecessary.

I do think it's a rude response, but I also find the emails that start off 'I hope you are well' incredibly irritating. It's one thing ignoring it if the sender emails once or twice a week, but if it's one of a dozen emails in a day, then I can understand someone replying rudely. I'm sure the sender doesn't actually give a toss if the person they are emailing is really well or not.

Maybe they aren't well? I don't like the "enjoying the sunshine" type ones as I may have just had a shitty weekend. Just be polite and stick to business

Hello Name,

Have you had a chance to do XYX?
Or
Please could you send me XYZ.
Or
Here is the file, see attached.
what ever the email is about - short and to the point.

Thanks
Or
Kind Regards
My Name

A junior member sent this to a senior??
How junior are they? Is it their first office job? Sounds like training in email etiquette and how to talk to people senior to you may be prudent...