That sentence at the start of an email!

[Notradespeopleareavailable]

Whenever I receive an email in work or professional capacity, I always know from the first sentence that something is expected of me (eg either to do an unscheduled piece of work, or something has happened that is going to result in a bill / or friend wants a favour doing). The sentence is -

Hi Notrades, I hope you're well?

Personally I wish everyone would ditch this faux concern opener and just get straight to the point in their emails / texts. I avoid the 'are you well' question and maybe some people think I'm quite rude (or abrupt).

Which approach would you prefer?

@ExpressDelivery

I can't bring myself to put these "nice" lines I don't mean into business emails, but I'm also aware that my emails can seem very abrupt. I'm not sure which way is nest TBH

So you're prepared to come across as rude rather than write something that take 5 seconds and has no impact on you. OK

I prefer the direct approach - but do ask how colleagues are by email if I haven’t seen them and interested. Also appreciate being asked by my boss (who I rarely have contact with). Am consciously softening at times (to follow etiquette policy). Not a fan of kind regards (or best), the first a bit sickly the last like you couldn’t be bothered to finish what you were saying.

It's etiquette and I appreciate it

I haaaaate I hope you're well! I usually throw in a bit of preamble but if I get the "hope you're well treatment" I always thing where the fuck have you been the past year?!

I also hate "best". You may as well just say "rot in hell" and get it over with 🤣

I find it funny how when I worked in an admin and clerical job the emails were very formal and polite no matter if you were a band 3 or a band 8 (NHS). Now I work in a clinical position (still NHS) the emojis, comic sans script and poor spelling is in abundance (and that’s just the consultants) 😂

I think the only thing fake about it, is using it when you don’t actually care about the response. If I genuinely care to ask, I genuinely care about the response.

If I don’t ask. I couldn’t care less! I’m still polite and professional but I don’t tend to use this sentence with people I have no interest in knowing. Why be false?

I tend to only ask this, if the last contact was a while ago or the respondent has been away. Over time building relationships with people you work with, is only a normal progression. Most the people I have contact with I like very much and those I don’t, we tend not to have much to do with them going forwards. Lucky I guess we can pick. Don’t be fake is the answer.

I can’t be bothered to worry about such things.

@Notradespeopleareavailable

Whenever I receive an email in work or professional capacity, I always know from the first sentence that something is expected of me (eg either to do an unscheduled piece of work, or something has happened that is going to result in a bill / or friend wants a favour doing). The sentence is -

Hi Notrades, I hope you're well?

Personally I wish everyone would ditch this faux concern opener and just get straight to the point in their emails / texts. I avoid the 'are you well' question and maybe some people think I'm quite rude (or abrupt).

Which approach would you prefer?

I don't see the line as anything or that polite chit chat. Every email I've had (including ones not requiring anything from me) start with hope you are well, or Happy Friday, or are you staying safe

"I hope this email finds you well" Every Single Time. You're in and out of my room all day long so trust me, if I wasn't well you'd know about it by now. It just comes across as insincere and I'd rather just cut to the chase. My emails to the dept are along the lines of 'Hi all (or individual), xyz attached, WatchingTV.

We've all worked together for a while and see each other in person on a daily basis though. I would probably pad it out if emailing outside the dept (and I do regard it as padding)

I have to deliberately remind myself to put niceties in to emails in order not to come across as abrupt or rude.

Only to external colleagues / business partners though (internal colleagues already know I'm abrupt and rude )

@Taswama

My pet hate opening was 'Gents and Taswama', yeah thanks for singling me out as the only woman on the email!

This reminds me of my old boss, who would walk in and say, “Good morning ladies, and Fort Victoria.” We were an all women team apart from him.

Niceties are a waste of time IMO. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it, no point 🤷🏼‍♀️I prefer a direct approach and that does not mean impolite.

Don't get me started on instant messaging when it goes:

"Hi Notrades, how are you?"

"Hi Instant Messenger, I'm fine thanks and what are you after?

" I was wondering if I could ask you a favour ...."

I do bare bones emails. It's efficient. But I have been known to add 'Have a great weekend!' if its Friday and I'm in a particularly happy mood.

I actually tend to write my emails without it then force myself to go back and add it in to soften. I wish we didn't feel the need to soften communication like this but I think if I don't then I sound abrupt and if you need to build relationships well...

One of my old colleagues used to end emails and conversations with 'Be well' which irritated me. But I do use hope you are well or how are you in emails as I think it's rude to jump straight in with a request, especially if it is a person is not often deal with. A lot of people in my team will respond to it and even on phone calls we will start off with a little char first, it builds relationships and we find each other more amenable in future dealings.
There are of course sugary sweet people who I know don't give a flying fish if I am well, bit I won't stop asking, I think it is rude to make demands without first being pleasent.

@Blueink

I prefer the direct approach - but do ask how colleagues are by email if I haven’t seen them and interested. Also appreciate being asked by my boss (who I rarely have contact with). Am consciously softening at times (to follow etiquette policy). Not a fan of kind regards (or best), the first a bit sickly the last like you couldn’t be bothered to finish what you were saying.

We have a communications policy that states how we should start and end emails and how long we should take to respond.

I agree for unknowns OP, it's annoying. But I wrote it twice yesterday to externals I have a good relationship with ans hhaven't spoken to for weeks because of my holiday. I genuinely hoped they were well! I think that's different, though I will now think twice about writing it!

The fewer words you use, the more superior, abrupt and arrogant you sound. Best to add a few words to show some respect.

Arg! I always, always put

Dear/hi soandso,

I hope this email finds you well

Am I one of the annoying ones?

@BluebellsareBlue

Arg! I always, always put

Dear/hi soandso,

I hope this email finds you well

Am I one of the annoying ones?

Hi Bluebell

Yes, I'm afraid so. If your email is going to ask me to put myself out in some way, the last thing I want to read is some irrelevant padding. Do you think that adding the 'finds you well' part will make me more disposed to help you? I can assure you, it won't.

Just go with -

Hi
Favour / request
Your usual sign off.

Honestly, that will do me just fine.

Thanks
Notrades

*Just go with -

Hi
Favour / request
Your usual sign off.

Honestly, that will do me just fine.

Thanks
Notrades*

This!!

That was meant to be bold

Aw naw!! I send these emails about ten times a day and I just copy and paste from my note on the computer,

I hope this email finds you well and you can assist me with a response to the following query....

I send this to press office and our buyers daily, they must hate me 😞

Ffs.... To irritated by this or "confused" like some posters have suggested 🙄🙄
Perhaps some kind of undiagnosed social disorder???
Its polite. It's nice, maybe someone might be interested if your "well"..
If you don't like it don't use it or answer it.