People saying 'you're welcome' in emails

[dipdye]

Who has time for this?!

Sent an email to say thank you, which IMO closes the conversation. Person emails back 'you're welcome'.

It's just unnecessary

If it's such an issue to receive a thank you, there should be corporate policies on this, rather than managers banging on about their inboxes. IME good managers find ways of prioritising emails without moaning about staff who are just trying, in their own individual ways, to do a good job.

I'm on team "please don't do this" here. Inbox clogging is just annoying. I get so many unnecessary emails like this. And yes, it's bad for the environment too. I always put "no reply needed" on my emails where there's no further action required, because it annoys me so much.

[quote Anonymous48]@thisplaceisweird

"It absolutely does make it a bad thing. If you are senior (and obviously very busy) it's a nightmare for your inbox to be filled with pointless emails like this."

Oh, please. I'm not buying that for a second.[/quote]
Have you ever worked a high-pressure corporate job? This is certainly my experience and it is shared by all of my peers that I've spoken to about it. We all use very specific inbox management tools to help overcome overloaded inboxes.

Thank you doesn't end the conversation.
You're welcome does.

@thisplaceisweird

Yes, I have. And I'm perfectly capable of reading a "you're welcome" email in about half a second without it interfering with my work.

I do, but for customers only
So "you're welcome, if you need anything else please contact me.." type email

We have to make sure we email back. Tbh I think it's polite and keeps relations good for next time.

@dipdye Wow! Just when I thought I had read everything on here.

What a ludicrous thing to get wound up about.

YABU!

@Wandda

“Who has time for this?” I imagine you posting this on here is taking up more time.

I'm with you on this one OP! I think "thank you" ones are fairly standard, though I sometimes hesitate about whether to send them. But I agree "you're welcome" is an email too many.

I get it. When you have 30+ emails a day, I'd rather people not say you're welcome. It's a waste of a email. It's unnecessary.

Who has time to be offended by it, more like?

I'm increasingly annoyed by this sort of office etiquette policing and overthinking. I find it more exhausting then the underlying offence.

We had an email around earlier asking people if they were thanking someone to make sure they only thanked the individual concerned and not cc everyone on the chain. The person who sent this email said it would spare others the "irritation" of having to receive another unwanted email. I hate this sort of small-minded hectoring of people for miniscule breaches of etiquette.

The reality of office life is there's total email overload. Everyone has it all the time. It's the price of doing business these days. Having one fewer email out of this slew of emails is like trying to isolate a single leaf from a pavement to remove it. It's absolutely pointless and the offence you create by picking up on it makes you look petty and dictatorial.

You do, indeed, sound like hard work.

I think OP was unreasonable for sending a thank you in the first place. That was a pointless pleasantry that cluttered up the recipient's inbox.

No it's unnecessary. Ok on a conversation but not an email thread but it's all about context. If it's been a tricky job with extra hassle I would acknowledge that.

I receive over 100 emails per day & the thank you & reply to all ones do make me mad!

Aha! I once went to a training seasion on this. Different culturs have different ideas as to what is polite. Eg American culture is chatty, it is standard to send a “you’re welcome” email, and also to start metings with a “how are you” chitchat.

In eg Swedish culture that would be rude. Sending unnecessary emails and wasting meeting time on pleasantries is to insist on usingnup someone else’s time more than you need to, which is considered rude. Being abruptnis in some cultures a form of politeness.

Naturally in the UK there is no clear view on any of this and it depends on your job. Banker? Don’t send chitchat. Academic? Send chitchat. Etc.

You’re asking who has time for this but you find time to post on mumsnet.

It takes seconds, it’s polite, you don’t have to do it but others can do as they wish.

absolutely does make it a bad thing. If you are senior (and obviously very busy) it's a nightmare for your inbox to be filled with pointless emails like this.

When I was working up the ranks I made an effort to never send an email to a boss unless it had important information in it. I even stopped with the pointless greetings and 'hope you are well' bullshit. I was told a few times that it was appreciated. Now as a boss I just don't want to see it. I don't care!

It really doesn't. It takes a second to delete.

I dont believe people specifically thanked you for taking pleasantries our of emails.

I am senior. If someone emailed 'You're Welcome'. I would register it and delete.

Definitely wouldn't judge person or consider it a black mark on their progression. Just because i struggled to keep on top of my own emails.

@MintLampShade

It may be unnecessary but it's a perfectly reasonable and polite reply. You'd expect it if it was face to face, it doesn't take a second to write down so why not! Why does it bother you?

Agreed.

What a ridiculous thing to get wound up about...god forbid people are polite!

It absolutely does make it a bad thing. If you are senior (and obviously very busy) it's a nightmare for your inbox to be filled with pointless emails like this.

Because of course only senior people are very busy, and mustn't be troubled by the tedious politeness of their underlings. If my boss' productivity were so easily compromised (by having to read a couple of extra words), I'd be wondering if he or she were worth their salary!

I also think this about unnecessary thank you emails. But I may be being a grinch.

@AlDanvers @crazyjinglist lovely snarky posts ladies, did my comment touch a nerve?

I certainly never said I wouldn't hire or promote those that do it, nor that I am so incompetent that it actually affects my work, but it's just one more thing to read and delete and I simply don't need it.

I dont believe people specifically thanked you for taking pleasantries our of emails. Shall I PM you a screenshot? You have no idea.

It's not necessary but why does it matter?

[quote thisplaceisweird]**@AlDanvers* @crazyjinglist* lovely snarky posts ladies, did my comment touch a nerve?

I certainly never said I wouldn't hire or promote those that do it, nor that I am so incompetent that it actually affects my work, but it's just one more thing to read and delete and I simply don't need it.

I dont believe people specifically thanked you for taking pleasantries our of emails. Shall I PM you a screenshot? You have no idea.[/quote]
Snarkey?

And your 'it absolutely does make it a bad thing' wasn't? Did the pps comment hit a nerve?

Its a bad thing for you. Its not a universal fact. Someone doesn't have time to read pleasantries but time to email you to tell you how grateful you are.....and you kept it?

I, for one, can keep control of my inbox. Some less senior replying 'you're welcome' really doesn't even register as a mild irritant.

And surely you ate judging someone and therefore their possible career path if they are irritating you. Human nature.

I can knock up an email saying 'Hey thanks for the million pound you donated' and screen shot it doesn't make true.

Internal emails - please don't, in fact I would ditch emails completely but that isn't going to happen any time soon.
Customers, I would never tell them not too, but it isn't something I do. I do try to send my email so that they know I am available for follow up questions though