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??

Tbh, I don't think it would bother me if he was brilliant. It didn't start to really rile until other shortcomings became apparent.

And that's the issue. As a manager you need to put your emotions to the side. It's either wrong or it's not. His performance or attitude shouldnt be having an influence on this. Regardless you should treat him like any other employee.

And fuck off with your 'this is cause I am a woman's

I have been a people manager for 15 years and managed people with all sorts of ages, skill sets, education etc.

It's been picked up from your posts.

But you know, make it a feminist issue and call people sexist, because they dont agree. That's an excellent personality trait.

As his line manager your job is to be concerned with performance. If you bring this up with him it could be seen as nit picky, even bullying on your part. If that's your biggest issue with him he's obviously doing okay ffs.

He’s a top arsehole and likes to advertise the fact. Maximise his potential.

Does your company have a house style where you could refer him back to... ie company email signature policy... his initials are too big etc?

Thanks to those who’ve been kind to me. It’s obviously “a thing” as is the whole work/home email thing.
I have used the same email account for everything for many years so don’t really have that divide. (As in I have had work email addresses, but also use my forever “home” email for work stuff).
Who knew. All so bloody complicated.
Just to rile everyone, my passport also says “Doctor WutheringBites” & yes I’m just a medical dr, so everyone can get all angry that it’s only an honorary title not a proper PhD.

And, no, I’ve no idea why the passport office put it on (my DH doesn’t have his title). But I rather like it.

yes I’m just a medical dr, so everyone can get all angry that it’s only an honorary title not a proper PhD

I'm confused. I always thought the medical doctor was the REAL doctor anyway?

The done thing where I work. I only set my up recently. I felt utterly wanky but I realised I was responding to emails from outsiders who had the same with a relatively informal signature.

He’s a top arsehole and likes to advertise the fact. Maximise his potential.

Hi, this is difficult as you feel strongly as his line manager and others are poking fun too.
I'd take the emotion out of what is acceptable cultural behaviour for your organisation.

What is not going well in his employment? Behaviour or capability to do the job?
Why might he do this? Culture in a previous job? Advice at uni or careers guide?
How well have you inducted him into the organisation?
How clear are your expectations of him in the role?

You're far more likely to get a bullying claim if he finds out people are making fun or are alienating him.

If he's not right for the role and you've inducted him well and been clear on expectations, then the best thing to do is put performance measures in place with the support he needs. During this discussion remind him of an appropriate email sign-off.

If those around him can't connect chances are he'll feel he doesn't fit.

There are loads of reasons he may sign-off like this. Separate fact from feeling and talk to him.

I think as his manager you have some responsibility in helping him fit in and it is not unreasonable for him to expect you to explicitly spell out the way everyone else signs off their emails if need be. It doesn’t have to be a reprimand - it’s helping isn’t it?

"I'm confused. I always thought the medical doctor was the REAL doctor anyway?"

A standard medical degree is a long degree course - it's hard to compare to other disciplines because there's academic and on-the-job training, but it's sometimes described as the equivalent of an MA course, but obviously with a TON of vocational training as well as academic courses. It's confusing because there are a lot of different letters for this qualification: MB ChB, MB BS, MB BCh, BM BCh, BM BS, MB BChir. The important thing is that this isn't an MD.

An MD is a further postgraduate medical qualification on top of this, and involves 2 further years of research. The medical PhD has 3 years of research and is therefore sometimes seen as more prestigious.

In social sciences and arts and humanities disciplines, a PhD is nowadays is often about 3 stages: 3 year undergrad (BA/BSc) + MA/MSc + PhD. It is generally seen as quite a bit more prestigious than a standard medical degree, though the value of the qualification is being gradually degraded because universities are accepting almost anyone onto the course, and some departments are passing through things that should fail.

All of these qualifications allow you to call yourself 'Dr'.

Thanks for your informative reply downcasteyes

That was very helpful. I have no degree at all, so know precious little about these things.

I just had visions of an emergency on a plane and someone saying "Is there a Doctor on board?" and lots of people with PhDs in Medieval Welsh rushing forward

I agree that anyone who gets any of the degrees to which you refer should be able to call themselves "Dr" - they've certainly earned it!

count - people with non-medical PhDs are sometimes approached in an emergency like that! "I can't perform open heart surgery with a coathanger on this plane, Captain, but I can quote some lovely medieval Welsh poetry as he passes".

The difference between different types of "Dr-ness" is one of the reasons people sometimes add the letters. It's a kind of clarification. "BA, MA, PhD" says "I am not a medical doctor"!!

Thanks, downcasteyes. Very interesting indeed. I know someone with a PhD (non-medical) and I know how he slogged for that.

Putting letters after my name is not a problem I have to worry about!

It's not all it's cracked up to be, it really isn't. There are plenty of people who are brilliant with PhDs, and plenty of dullards who just slogged their way through and got the qualification. Just as there are plenty of people who are very, very clever working in minimum wage jobs. One of the cleverest guys I know in terms of his grasp of contemporary politics works stacking shelves in M&S.

True, that. I know someone who speaks three languages fluently, reads music and plays the piano to a very high standard. They read the classics in literature and can finish a cryptic crossword in short order. Always interesting conversations and keep up-to-date with current affairs. Know the Latin names of the plants in their garden. They don't have a degree though - they are older and didn't have the opportunity back in their day/circumstances.

Yep - many women, in particular, just weren't given the opportunity.

My husband's grandmother was a very talented mathematician and won a scholarship to study at university. She wasn't allowed to go because there was no point educating girls.

You say he is not doing well? How? Are you supporting him? Tbh as his manager are you not supposed to help him, if you think about him in these terms does he have a hope in hell of settling in.

I used to work with someone who signed their signature M@

His name was Matt.

Your degree showing off employee is wanky, we all know that I'm not sure why you are getting so much flack.

That said, I would ignore it, and tell your other staff to stop making fun of him behind his back. If his email signature is just one example of him being pretentious and wanky in another way, then raise that with him too. Without the word wanky. Ha ha

My husband's grandmother was a very talented mathematician and won a scholarship to study at university. She wasn't allowed to go because there was no point educating girls

So wrong. So much wasted potential there.

keepforgettingmyusername that's bullying.

What industry is it? Let MN have their say. You keep saying people don't qualifications on emails. Maybe you should find out why he is underperforming. You clearly don't like him. I think your behaviour is inappropriate, whether you are a manager or not

It's just egotistical willy-waving, Peakhim.

Harmless enough I suppose but at the same time I'm glad I don't have to work alongside such a sad person......

Maybe that's how it was done where he used to work/study? Can't really blame him if so....?

3 year undergrad (BA/BSc) + MA/MSc + PhD. It is generally seen as quite a bit more prestigious than a standard medical degree

The only people who would see having a PhD in the social sciences as more prestigious than a medical degree where I am from are a very small select few in the social science sector if even them, I can honestly say I've never come across one.

Getting into to medicine, getting through the absolute slog that is the undergraduate in medicine. Doing the rotations of a junior doctor is considered to be quite a bit more prestigious here. I am in academia but neither a doctor nor a social scientist. That comment above has surprised me.

I do wonder actually where PhDs in social science are more highly regarded than medical degrees.