Is this professional?

[BeansCounter]

Hello.

My inbox is carnage and I'm looking for ways to manage it better so that I don't feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of emails.

I'm setting up an organisation method where emails to wider distribution lists have a rule so that it reduces the volume in my inbox.

Leads me to my question, I'm thinking of setting up a rule that emails where I'm cc'd rather than in the to field sends and automated response to say:

'Emails where I'm cc'd are not prioritised. If your enquiry is urgent needing a timely response then please resend with my address in the 'to' box.'

Do you think that this is unprofessional or needed? Should I just set up the rule and clear the box every other day? Deal with those that are needed then. I'm worried about missing something which is why I'm likely involved in everything 🤦🏼‍♀️

Thanks.

I've heard people do this. I wouldn't be it depends on the culture of your organisation. I sympathise. I am (and everyone else) seems to be cc-ed in FYI. Sometimes we are expected to unpick trails of emails without explanation which is infuriating when people are essentially asking for your help without so much as a brief please see below.
Sometimes you may be cc-ed in and need to intervene. Sometimes you have no idea why you are copies in.

The response you put in your OP will be badly received by someone no doubt. People will always take offence. But if you're manager etc. is fine with it go ahead.

Or you could reply where you're cc-ed in to say I can see this is just FYI for me, if you're do need a response from me, please email directly, or something

• I wouldn't, but it depends ... (not sure how to edit!)

I do think it's a bit unprofessional, sorry. You're worried about your own inbox being cluttered but by auto replying like that you're cluttering everyone else's box too and generally giving a sense you're more important than they are / bit of a preemptive telling off when the majority of the time they've already done the right thing by copying not using to 'to' field. What if they then autoreply back saying they're not going to pay any attention to your autoreply, then you autoreply back saying you won't respond to them, when does it end? 😂

I think most people are aware these days of proper use of the cc box and unless you deal with matters of life or death, anyone that doesn't will soon learn by experience if they get a delayed response from you. I'd just filter them into a separate folder like you say and assign a short amount of time regularly, perhaps daily to quickly scan through and check for anything obviously important, then a longer slot, perhaps weekly to go through properly. I know it's hard and easy to get distracted with email management but discipline and a systematic approach on your side really is the only way forward rather than getting pissy with other people which rarely works TBH, just creates more pissy email traffic in a hellish loop of unending corporate irritation, no-one likes that!

I would absolutely roll my eyes and think that you should get over yourself if I got that response. You're not so important that you can spam everyone else and make them send the same email twice - if you were you wouldn't be managing your own email in the first place.

Thanks for the quick responses. Bad idea.

Discipline and a systematic approach resonates. I'll work on that instead.

I personally wouldn’t do this and would think that the person sending it thinks they are too important to read.
i think you need to focus on managing your workload priorities better.
Can’t you skim read ?

I would encourage people to @ you within the email if they need you to do something. This is if you use Outlook; I don’t know if it’s possible with gmail for example.

I have a newish colleague who puts an urgent flag on emails that aren’t urgent. Am thinking of setting up a rule that sends anything from him with an urgent flag straight to the recycle bin.

I use rules for CCs and take the approach that if I miss it and they need me to do something, they’ll chase me.

I wouldn’t at all - but what I WOULD do, depending on the systems you use, is set a status when I’m busy/or add to email signature with something like ‘I’m currently experiencing a high workload, please state in your subject heading if your email is urgent’

its actually much more useful to see ‘urgent’ in a subject heading, than it is just to add you into the ‘to’ - you’ll have lots of emails which aren’t urgent that will include you in ‘to’

This, although do be selective about when you use the status message, don't leave it on all the time or it will get ignored. There's several people I work with who have a permanent status saying they're experiencing unusually high volumes of work and basically not to bother contacting them unless it's urgent. One has a permanent out of office on basically saying she isn't reading her emails because she's too busy 😱, don't know how she gets away with that TBH. Bit like how some companies still have an automated call centre message saying they're very busy 'because of COVID' I basically ignore these people and email them as usual whereas colleagues who only occasionally ask not to be disturbed I would respect that...