Email etiquette for Students and Young Pharmacy Professionals

THURSDAY 20 AUGUST 2020

19H00

Organised by the PSSA Profess ional

Development and Suppor t in assoc iat ion

with Pharmacy Deve lopment Academy

Meet your team of speakers:

Dr Mariet J Eksteen

PSSA Professional

Development and Support

Ms Michaela Palmer

BPharm IV – University of the

Western Cape

Ms Christine Venter

Managing Director: Pharmacy

Development Academy

How to operate GoToWebinar:

Control panel Audio and visual only,

microphone automatically muted

Questions Type your question during the presentation in

the question section

Objectives of this Webinar:

Understanding what could be seen as unprofessional communication

Familiarize yourself on general email

etiquette principles

Learn how to write a professional email

Evaluate examples of unprofessional

communication and how to improve communication

CPD compliance for pharmacists:

Only applicable to pharmacists:

PSSA NW branch developed a template members can use to complete their CPD during CPD events

This template makes recording of CPDs on SAPC online system much easier

Template will be available for download

Optional extra: How to record this Webinar as a CPD

event!

Participate in the Poll:

HOW

PROFESSIONALLY

DO YOU THINK YOU

CURRENTLY

COMMUNICATE VIA

EMAIL?

Set the scene:

Why is it that young professionals

approach formal communication in

an informal fashion?

Overview of email etiquette

❖Email etiquette can be defined as the principles of acceptable behaviour that professionals should use when

writing or answering email messages.

❖Email etiquette in your professional email communication reflects on both the organisation you are associated

with and on you personally.

❖Three important rules when approaching emails.

Professional Efficient Liability

Email etiquette guidelines:

SEND or REPLY

▪Sending respectful and professional emails will receive a more

favourable response than an abrupt, carelessly written one

▪Do not forget to say PLEASE and THANK YOU

▪Your email should not be longer than 1 screen (if you need to scroll

down, it is way too long)

▪Spell check your emails before sending

▪Remember: a SENT email cannot be UNSENT

▪Reply to emails in a timely fashion (within 24 hours)

▪Posting or forwarding of private email is copyright infringement -- not to

mention downright rude. You need permission from the author first!

▪Even though it is not right; emails are forwarded to others. Keep this in

mind when typing about emotional or controversial topics.

▪ Take the time to review each email before clicking “Send” to ensure

your message is clear and you are relaying the tone that you desire.

Email etiquette guidelines: RECEIVE

▪Establish some sort of organised filing system for sent and

received emails

▪When there is a misunderstanding by email, do not

hesitate to pick up the old-fashioned telephone to work

things out!

▪If you cannot respond to an email promptly, at the very

least email back confirming your receipt and when the

sender can expect your response.

▪Before getting upset because you perceive someone did

not respond, check to see if their reply was inadvertently

deleted or sent to your “Trash” or “Junk folder”.

Email etiquette

guidelines: GENERAL

Use separate accounts for personal and business emails

DO NOT ASSUME PRIVACY

Formality is in place as a courtesy and reflects respect. Assume the highest level of formality with new email contacts until the relationship dictates otherwise. Refrain from getting too informal too soon in your email communications.

Take a quick look at the emails in your Trash before you delete them just in case a good email landed there by mistake.

Reflection:WHAT STOOD OUT

FROM THIS

SECTION?

Writing an email

The heading

The message

Prepare to send

The heading

The message

Salutation

Body paragraph

Closing

Salutation

Body paragraph

Closing

Formal greetings such as:

“Good morning Mr./Ms. Venter.” or

“Good afternoon Michaela”

“Good morning Dr M.J Eksteen:

No informal greetings such as:

“Hi”

“Hey”

Salutation

Body paragraph

Closing

1. Be specific but concise, don’t use generic words

2. If the message is time sensitive or high priority, indicate it.

3. Be careful about words that may be caught by junk mail filters

4. Check your spelling!

DO NOT:

• Underline words

• Make them bold

• WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS

• Emphasise word by using colours such as red

• Use exclamation marks!!!!!

Salutation

Body paragraph

Closing

1. Add closing remarks

2. Add an email signatory

Prepare to hit “send”

Do you have an informative subject line that reflects the message?

Have you used proper sentence structure?

Remember the difference between formal and informal

Always proofread and check spelling and grammar

Don’t hesitate to say “thank you”

Prepare to hit “send”

Type in complete sentences

Read your email out loud

Stay focuses, to the point, professional and respectful

Avoid emotionally charged emails

Avoid bulky attachments - your mail can end up in spam

End email with “Thank you”, “Sincerely”, “Best regard”

Practical examples

Some examples…of what not to do..

I should have responded…

Example 2:

How I should have responded…

Recording of this

Webinar:

This webinar is recorded (visual and audio)

Link will be communicated to you via PSSA Newsletter

The presentation will be uploaded on the PSSA website

Question and Answer session:

Optional extra:CPD for pharmacists

Identify Identify a learning need

CompleteComplete step 1 and 2 of the 4-step CPD

cycle BEFORE CPD event

AttendAttend CPD event, make notes, identify

how to adapt professional

behaviour/practice

CompleteComplete step 3 and 4 of the 4-step CPD

cycle AFTER CPD event

KeepKeep record of training e.g. notes,

initiatives, emails, new

documents/guidelines

How to identify a learning need?

Planning your CPD activity

Implementation of learning

Evaluation of my learning

Thank you