Mail policy and culture for employees
The mail system is a fast and widespread way of communicating. However, as employees, we must be aware that we do not cross boundaries, neither to employer nor colleagues.
Mail policy
Over time, there have been some questions about the use of AU mail for private purposes. In this area, AGRO refers to the AU's mail policy for employees. Here it says “The use of email is primarily intended for activities which are directly related to work/studies, but AU email may be used for private purposes. Private emails should be clearly marked to distinguish them from work/study-related emails. This can be done e.g. by writing ‘private’ in the subject line."
If employees use the AU-mail for, for example, union work, AGRO's management will distinguish whether it is voluntary unpaid work or whether it is paid employment. By the latter we mean that it comes under "Commercial use", which has an independent paragrapg on the mail policy page for employees. Any use of the AU-mail for these purposes must stop immediately.
Mail culture
As good as the mail system is, it can be just as bad when we don't think before writing and sending an email. There are some important rules of thumb, such as:
- Give your email a heading in the subject field so that the recipient can see what it is about.
- Write your email so it is easy to read on screen. Use short sentences and divide the text into smaller, clear sections.
- Mail is a tool, remember professional distance in the message.