Irrationally enraged by colleague's email signature, or is it inappropriate?

[Peakhim]

I have a newish colleague who has his email set up to give his full name, degree achieved (masters) followed by his full job title. This comes up in all internal emails and his job rarely involves sending external ones.

I think it's wanky and actually rude. No one else does it and many have more qualifications than him. People even comment on it and poke fun. I hoped he would notice by now that it's not done and take it down. It doesn't help that it comes up in really big letters after his normal sign off.

I'm his line manager and wonder whether to tell him to take it off but things aren't going well with him overall so I don't want it to look petty or like bullying.

But fuck, who does that??

My rule of thumb is the less job title used (and qualifications) then often the more senior the person and more self-assured.

My local school has a "Director of Maths", now last time I checked they weren't on the school's board, nor did the have any personal liability for the school's finances or performance, so I can only conclude the Head of Maths has an ego problem and didn't get a pay rise one year, so was given a fancy title instead.

Judging people by their job and seniority is not a good way to make friends.

What ReallyReallyNo said.

I would leave it personally if there are many other issues. I think it could be problematic when perhaps there are more important issues to sort.

It would annoy me and email sigs that are unnecessary (I see a few) do bug me. I silently judge though. I try and keep my sensible I promise.

Most places I've worked would have gone childish quite quickly
Joan Blogs
Cycling Proficiency (Distinction)

Same here, Zilla

I rarely get the opportunity to brag about my Swimming Certificate (2 breadths) or my Brownie Sewing Badge.

Tiredand

Director of Maths means that the Head of Maths was very likely put onto the leadership spine, probably on the same salary, and the benefit to the school is that once you’re on the leadership spine they can make you do a lot more hours (like lunchtimes etc). So there will be a financial benefit to the school.

Do you do business internationally? In which case I've been advised twice that some countries/cultures like and expect to see qualifications on business cards and email signatures, especially so if they are just starting to do business with you as it reassures people.

Doesn’t everyone have their job title in their signature...otherwise how does someone know who they are dealing with?! We have standardised signatures which includes our job title. As a client, I would want to know whether I am dealing with a “trainee” or a “director”...and everyone in between!

I'd ignore - it's a useful sign to anyone that receives the email he's a bit of a knob. It wouldn't rile me though, I mean so what?

As a line manager I would not post something like this on Mumsnet about one of my employees - anonymous or otherwise! I think that's far more inappropriate than his email signature! It says more about you and your colleagues poking fun at him than it does about him!
He may come from a place where you have to put all that stuff on your email signature!

Someone I know signs absolutely everything, including birthday cards, WhatsApps, memos, and I suspect texts, etc, as ... Dr Jxne Smxth, BSc, MSc, PhD.

I must start adding my Cycling Proficiency, (Failed) to my WhatsApps but really I can’t be bothered.

Lady the HappyGardener, Brownies Sewing Badge, CDM, Etc. 🌺

You sound like your the one with the biggest problem, and calling your staff names on a public forum is so out of order!

He’s obviously just a bit of an insecure k**b!
I’d let him continue to show people that.
Actually, I maybe wouldn’t because I like consistency and so in my business I do insist that everyone uses the same format for signatures as I think it looks more professional.
But depends what sort of business it is.

What's wrong with his signature. Hardly the crime of the century

Don't see the problem in all honestly - maybe he learnt to do this at a previous workplace or thought being new it'd be a good way to help those he emaiils know who he is? I wouldn't let it bother you. If things aren't going well generally then that's one thing, but I wouldn't find this relevant.

It really does depend where you work; has he recently come in from academia or research or somewhere else where it's common? (Or is he now in one of those environments?) I've also worked in environments (healthcare and academia) where both Dr and Mr/Miss can have different meanings (medical or research for the first, and surgeons for the latter)...

I've personally done lots of training and education over the years, but the only time I'd even think of using the letters after my name I'm entitled to are either a) if I'm communicating with people in the above types of industries or, actually, academic publishing/editors b) if someone has really annoyed me and/or has given the impression they think I don't know what I'm on about. I have to confess, while not being proud of it, I may have used that latter approach, when I was at my wits' end, to communicate with obstructive IT people who were not actually doing their job and coming to sort things out in our department.

Whenever I've changed jobs I've usually asked what the convention is in my new organisation for email signatures, so, I don't know, maybe just a quiet word about the convention in your neck of the woods?

I feel sorry for him. Instead of having a quiet chat and helping him integrate, his line manager is calling him out on the internet

Right, so because I don't any comments to be construed as bullying it means I must have already bullied him?! I have dealt with many issues regarding his performance professionally, supportively and in line with company policies. His responses haven't been great so it's an ongoing situation. I feel like to now say you need to change your signature could look like a petty and unnecessary addition, so I won't be doing it.

I am quite old so don't know what funding possibilities were in place when I was in a position to do a masters but yes, I probably gave up too easily but I was very debt averse and had no family support or advice. Never mind, it really isn't a big deal and I do know several people with masters and it hasn't soured our relationships!

Someone I know has their Facebook user name as: Firstname Surname BA (Hons). It just looks ridiculous.

Tbh you sound petty I get much more annoyed at people not putting contact numbers on signatures.

IF he is underperforming then manage it and if in probation then don’t pass him but being pissed off at a few letters after his name is petty and childish, unless it is against company policy, concentrate on performance management rather than his email signature as that seems the more pressing problem!

I feel like to now say you need to change your signature could look like a petty and unnecessary addition, so I won't be doing it.

Yes, because this is just down to tour personal preference. Not company policy or anything else. You are enraged??? Because of something that doesnt really matter either way.

Either he is breaking company policy or he isnt. If he was you should be able to say something without fear it would be seen as bullying. If he isnt breaking company policy, get a grip and be more professional. Enraged because of letters after his name shows that you dont personally like him.

Its disproportionate.

Ha, I hate this. It's always a certain type of people (at least in my industry). The funniest is when they put BSc after their names - it's a basic requirement for our jobs, most of us have an MSc or a PhD, so it's not like it's giving them an edge or anything...

Sounds pretty standard to me 🤷‍♀️ and maybe he's really bloody proud of his achievements?
I think anyone taking the piss needs to grow the fuck up frankly. How spiteful.

Some workplaces may expect this; if yours doesn't, you might tell him it's not the practice there, but I don't think there's actually anything wrong with it. German professionals in particular seem to do this routinely; it may be a requirement there. Less so in the UK, but some places and some jobs may still insist.

You sound spiteful and unprofessional, as do others who are calling him a knob etc. In your shoes Id laugh, but say nothing.

His signature isnt harming you, so what if others have more qualifications? So what if they dont list them? Are employees required to be clones of each other? Youre riled up by somebody's signature, of all things.

Youre already in bullying territory by even considering telling him he cant sign his name as he likes

Its Sunday and you as a manager are gossiping about your staff, enjoying him being called names, then no doubt tomorrow youll smile and say good morning.

You are being petty and no doubt he will lose his job anyway on your recommendation so you won't have to focus on his signature then will you?

I'm often reminded by situations why I am so very glad I'm self-employed. I dont have to put up with petty hypocritical workplace nonsense and for that I am eternally grateful

God managers really get a kicking on Mumsnet. Always by page 2 the problem must be the manager herself who is clearly a HORRIBLE manager! Always!

OP, I would ask HR for guidance on email signatures and push for company policy/guidance on this. In the meantime I would raise it with the staff member stating that his approach not what we normally do here but not instruct him to take it off. If he doesn't heed your guidance then there's not much you can do but gives you a further sense of what he's like.