HR Soapbox Blog

(Published July 2, 2008)

Our office e-mail system was down earlier this week, and I'll admit I felt like a fish out of water.  Having to physically pry myself out of my chair to go ask a co-worker a question, instead of just going click-click-click-SEND?  Not having summaries of the latest employment law cases magically appear in my in-box, accompanied by a cheery little chime sound?  It was disconcerting to feel so disconnected.  Which leads me to say, sheepishly, "Hi, my name is Eileen…and I'm an e-mail addict."

Don't scoff — I know I can't be the only one who relies heavily on e-mail for information, communication, and entertainment. After all, many of you are reading this right now simply because it was oh-so-conveniently delivered to your very own in-box!

The truth is, I think e-mail is an extremely valuable and efficient work tool…when used judiciously.  It allows me to send quick questions off to the boss without having to interrupt whatever he's doing and stammer through a long explanation of what I'm trying to find out and the context of my question.  It allows me to send attached documents under a clear subject heading for instant comprehension, instead of printing unnecessary hard copies to leave in a pile on someone's chair with a Post-it® vainly trying to explain what it is and why it's there.  It's given me better control over my own workflow, allowing me to decide for myself if I can afford to be interrupted at any given moment with a question from a co-worker or a fascinating newsletter article, or if I'd prefer to put off these things until I'm done with my task at hand. 

The problem is, e-mail can end up draining productivity instead of boosting it.  Many workers fall prey to the temptation to check their e-mail compulsively, often interrupting another work activity to do so.  In a single workday, a typical office worker checks his e-mail at least 50 times, sends/receives instant messages 77 times, and visits more than 40 websites, according to a recent study by software maker RescueTime.  That's a lot of wasted time.

But what can you do?  Put forth a policy banning e-mail?  Too impractical; in some workplaces, e-mail has practically replaced all other forms of communication.  Here at AHI, we still have our fair share of face-to-face office discussions and meetings.  But at a previous job, I'd estimate 90% of our intradepartmental communication was electronic, via either e-mail or IM (instant message).  Pro: There was always a written record of exchanges for managers or HR to refer to.  Con: Same; it was an HR nightmare, as managers might occasionally text or e-mail things to employees about other employees that should never have been said, let alone put in writing. 

The BlackBerry® — or "CrackBerry," as it's been aptly nicknamed — has taken e-mail addiction (and self-importance) to a whole new level, convincing people that they could no longer risk being electronically unreachable for even a single second.  To whip out a BlackBerry® or other PDA every five minutes in a public place is to practically scream, "Look at me! I'm needed! My constant input is of vital importance!"

And that's where I draw the line.  I don't want my self-worth to be connected to a full in-box.  I don't want my boss to e-mail me at 8:00 pm on a Saturday with a question on South Carolina's latest work authorization statute and expect an immediate response.  I don't want co-workers to bother me with policy questions they should already know the answers to when I'm off on vacation.  I don't want to erase the boundary between work and life.  Call me the Greta Garbo of the electronic age, but when I'm not at the office, I want to be left alone!

Maybe the way to get a handle on e-mail addiction is through…more technology?  Sounds unlikely, but Google, Inc. recently introduced an optional feature called email addict, which forces users to take a 15-minute break from its Gmail™ webmail service.  Another suggestion: Send an auto-reply to every incoming message, telling correspondents the time you check and respond to your daily e-mails; that way, you won't feel pressured imagining the e-mail addict on the other end getting jittery when you don't respond within, oh, five minutes.

Of course, e-mail is already considered completely passé by many Gen Y workers, whose fingers fly at phenomenal speeds as they text or IM in "real time."  But who the heck can make sense of what they're saying, anyway, with all those emoticons and kewl misspellings and acronyms thrown about?  Besides, we've already got plenty of acronyms to deal with.  So let's just whip out our CrackBerries and LOL about COBRA and HIPAA and IRCA and USERRA…. OMG, how kewl! (Or not…hey, I tried!)

It all comes down to this: Remember that e-mail, IM, etc., are simply tools that are meant to serve you, not enslave you.

Good luck, stay legal, and try disconnecting for awhile!

Eileen Mager
Writer

When I'm annoyed, I have a habit of crossing my arms, pursing my lips, and extending my right leg to the side and tapping my foot.  When asked what's wrong, I just narrow my eyes and glare.  My "annoyed stance" is mainly reserved for my husband, who smiles, kisses my nose, and imitates me.  We both end up laughing.  Reading and reacting to body language isn't just a necessary skill for maintaining loving relationships, it's also a must for surviving in Human Resources.

Here are my "not educated in psychoanalysis" suggestions for interpreting behaviors you're apt to see all the way up and down the company ranks.

Let's start at the top.  Your boss raises a single eyebrow as you're explaining why it's necessary to adopt a fill-in-the-blank policy.  Granted it's physically impressive (I can't raise a single eyebrow without contorting my entire face), but it hints at disbelief, so start laying it on thick.  Now, if both eyebrows are raised and accompanied by a smile, give yourself a pat on the back.  The big cheese is impressed.

The policy gets the thumbs up.  Now, it's time to explain it to managers.  One manager sticks out the tip of their tongue through closed lips as they listen.  Like a scratch to the top of the head with a furrowed brow, this means they are confused.  Stop what you're saying, stat!  Ask if there are any questions.  If the manager is too confused to formulate a question, ask them to reiterate what you've said thus far so you can clarify any misunderstandings before continuing.   

Days later, an employee comes to you with a question about the new policy.  In the course of the conversation, the employee tilts their head.  According to executive coach Carol Kinsey Goman, such a move combined with eyes gazing in the flirtatious zone (i.e., from the eyes down to the mouth) rather than in the business zone (i.e., from the eyes up to the top of the forehead) may mean the employee has more personal interest in being there than they do professional.  Deflect Cupid's arrow by placing your wedding-band-adorned hand in plain sight when answering their question.  (If you're not married or even in a relationship, no worries, just start sporting a cheap, cubic zirconia ring like one of my friends did.  Worked like a charm for her, so it should for you, too!)

It was inevitable; an employee violated the policy and you need to investigate.  When talking to a witness, they touch their nose right before answering your questions.  Put your waders on because this could get deep; it is said that people touch their noses when they lie.  It might be because the rush of adrenaline opens the capillaries and makes them itchy, or because they want to make sure their nose isn't growing too much.  Another telltale sign of lying: locking eyes and not blinking.  Can you say trying a little too hard to come off as honest?!

A sign that the witness isn't lying, but isn't telling the whole story either, is covering their mouth or hiding their hands in their pockets, in their sleeves, under the desk, etc.  Don't relent!  Keep firing questions at them.  They are this close to breaking.

Keep an eye out for these red flags so you can see what's not being said. 

Good luck, stay legal, and pay attention!

Melissa V. Pomerantz
Editor