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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

383 replies

Peakhim · 13/04/2019 08:32

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??

OP posts:
wowfudge · 13/04/2019 12:50

Worse imo is the person who doesn't have their bloody email signature set up. Other than emailing them back you've no means of contacting them and you don't necessarily know what their role is.

Gitfeatures · 13/04/2019 12:53

There's a woman on a local Facebook group who has 'Bsc' after her name. I just think 'twat' and move on.

List your swimming badges in your signature next time he emails you.

Circeplease · 13/04/2019 12:54

This is absolutely common in Germany, US, and also with many Indian friends and coworkers (I’m sure there are more
Countries and cultures; these are just the ones I know about) . Also the comment about family paying for masters - nasty OP. You have one massive chip on your shoulder I’m afraid. It hardly matters. Get on with the job.

daisychain01 · 13/04/2019 12:55

The OP has a First Class Degree in Resentment.

Hopoindown31 · 13/04/2019 12:56

@daisychain

Unfortunately it is endemic in British management culture.

Being charitable I think it comes from a misguided application of the principle that we should respect everyone within the organisation equally. But I can respect Steve from accounts just fine while having it clearly displayed that I am the expert in my technical area, not him.

Being uncharitable I think it comes from a deeply anti-educational attitude in our society. Intelligent accomplished people are constantly told to hide their achievments and try to fit in.

Hopoindown31 · 13/04/2019 12:57

@Gitfeatures

If you can't see the difference between facebook and a work email signature then God help you!

rwalker · 13/04/2019 13:00

Can't understand why this bothers you so much.

Ilikeslippers · 13/04/2019 13:00

Worse imo is the person who doesn't have their bloody email signature set up. Other than emailing them back you've no means of contacting them and you don't necessarily know what their role is

Totally agree with this!

CloudRusting · 13/04/2019 13:08

Not wanting everyone to have all their quals on an email signature is hardly suggesting that everyone has to take a vow of silence or that people should be ashamed. Hmm

The point is there is a time and place. My email signature is there so people have my contact details and can see what my job/department is so they have context on who I am. Whether I have a first in English from Cambridge or a 2.2 in interpretative dance from the college of nowheresville doesn’t need to come into it.

It is quite common to have intranet pages internally where people have short biographies. Now that would be the place to say what degrees and professional quals you have. Client facing staff who do pitches etc also normally have short cvs and these may mention degrees. This is the industry norm and people do reach a judgment on those who got outside the norm.

I’ve also not seen that the OP is bullying the employee or that she is inept. That is rather projecting.

Oakmaiden · 13/04/2019 13:20

In fact I'm sure he did a masters because his family were able to pay and it saved him having to work for a bit longer

There speaks someone who hasn't done a masters.

You don't pay your money and then just get presented with a certificate, you know. They are bloody hard work.

Think about the things you are saying, because frankly it all makes you sound like a bitch.

Margot33 · 13/04/2019 13:28

I don't think Its rude. Some collegues used to do this as my last place. It didn't bother me in the slightest. There are more important things to worry about. I don't think it's very professional of you to call him 'wanky' .

ForalltheSaints · 13/04/2019 13:32

wowfudge agree as you cannot remember everyone's phone number if you wish to call them (note to some younger people, it is this strange thing we used to do called talking to people by phone, or shock horror, face to face).

Tinkobell · 13/04/2019 13:39

I just think it's funny. I don't get the "enraged" thing. Is he Austrian or German by chance...,,I've noticed in these countries professional people do like to list all their qualifications to the nth degree.

HollowTalk · 13/04/2019 13:40

I wouldn't say anything. It's not important in the long run and yes, it makes him look a fool, but it doesn't actually do any harm.

Bluntness100 · 13/04/2019 13:45

I'm not sure I see why this annoys you so much to be honest op.

Is he better educated than you? Because if he is, then it is going to look like petty envy. There is no real need for him to not have it. So I'd let it be.

If I was your manager and you told him to take it off, I'd quietly ponder your issue, and if your less well educated than him and articulating performance issues that he is defending, I'd be concerned that you were feeling threatened.

Tinkobell · 13/04/2019 13:47

If you were a little mischievous (I am!) then you could have a lot of fun with this......treat your new colleague as the 'guru' and fountain of knowledge on anything whatsoever that is very loosely related to the plugged qualification. Ask him questions publically and refer people to him! 😁😂

Jux · 13/04/2019 13:48

I imagine that if he continues to do it then other people at his level will start taking the piss and he'll eventually take it down. Not your problem.

Tinkobell · 13/04/2019 13:56

What is the qualification exactly? ....I'm intrigued to know! I have a few that I'd mostly definitely prefer to keep well under wraps like the diploma in Life Coaching! I still don't know to this day what possessed me!
Slight aside, I have a friend who is a professor of neuroscience.....that is quite a qualification to achieve in life by any standard. Once a parent of a 7 year old approached him and said their child wanted to be a brain surgeon and how could they "get into it"? 😂

jelliebelly · 13/04/2019 14:00

He's just being naive (and proud of his degree!). Not sure it's worth getting upset about - if it bothers you that much just tell him to change it! FWIW everywhere I've ever worked has encouraged name/qualifications/job title on emails - I thought it was the norm..

Tinkobell · 13/04/2019 14:07

Is that it......just that he puts MSc or MA or MBA after his name? That's not that big a deal is it? Depends who you are dealing with customer - wise and whether or not they'd give a toss. I thought you were going to say BSc (Hons) 2:1 Aberdeen or the such-like which would be overkill!

AlexaAmbidextra · 13/04/2019 14:22

treat your new colleague as the 'guru' and fountain of knowledge on anything whatsoever that is very loosely related to the plugged qualification. Ask him questions publically and refer people to him! 😁😂

I don’t think it will help OP’s managerial credibility to play stupid games, do you?

6demandingchildren · 13/04/2019 14:25

Our office once worked with a nobber like this,people started signing their letters with the abbreviations
BSC SSC GSC BPT BFK and other things like it
they mean
bronze swimming certificate
silver swimming certificate
gold swimming certificate
bike proffeciancy test
big fat kok.
everyone asked nobber what his stood for, he did so much to annoy everyone (i didnt let him get to me as i was leaving on maternity)

shakenfizzydrink · 13/04/2019 14:34

My work have blocked most internet access, I can't access my personal email except on my break. So yeah, I use my work email.

keepforgettingmyusername · 13/04/2019 14:38

'If you were a little mischievous (I am!) then you could have a lot of fun with this......treat your new colleague as the 'guru' and fountain of knowledge on anything whatsoever that is very loosely related to the plugged qualification. Ask him questions publically and refer people to him! 😁😂'

A little mischievous/bullying a team member in the workplace, what larks!

I really feel for this guy OP you sound like you and the whole team in your small company hate him. Small businesses are fucking awful for things like that. I'm guessing your business is family run and you're only a 'manager' in that sense, and that's why you don't have the balls to stop people slagging him off behind his back.

PCohle · 13/04/2019 14:58

Personally I think it comes across as arrogant and is misjudged but it's a small enough issue that I'd just leave him to it. I don't think it would be wrong for you to request him to remove it as his line manager but it smacks of micro-managing because, after all, who cares.

I do think the OP is getting a hard time about this though. Having the emotional intelligence to pick up on work place norms like this is important in many jobs. As his manager I'd be concerned about what else he's blithely doing that puts people's backs up whilst he's completely oblivious. That's not a great quality when dealing with clients...

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