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by ensignavenger 3445 days ago
-"have to respond soon."

What is it about the email that makes you think you have to respond soon? Is it the culture at the company around email?

I work at a non-technology Fortune 500 in the IT dept. (I work remote, too) and the general expectation is that we check our email 2-4 times a day. Occasionally I go a day going through my inbox once all day, and it has never been a problem.

I suppose it is a company culture issue?
2 comments
ryandrake 3445 days ago
Frequent sender of such E-mails chiming in here:

Often when there is a response expectation, I'll explicitly say so in the subject, so that if you're scanning your E-mails it will stick out. Will also specify my default assumption should you not respond. I like to be super clear. Company culture is the product of the people who participate in company culture.

SUBJ: [Reply needed by 5PM] Deadline for project approval approaching

(somewhere in body): Blah, blah, blah. If I do not hear back, I will assume we will go forward with the project.

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BeetleB 3445 days ago
I think the part that is missing in your comment is the company expectation on how often people should check their emails. This is why in my interview I specified something like "Morning, after lunch, and before I head home".

If getting an email like yours, sent at 2pm where a reply is needed by 5pm, then the answer to my question should be "No, checking your email at that interval is not OK".

I'm not going to say your expectation is objectively bad or anything. Some businesses may need to work at a fast pace. Just that I would not want to work there if this is the norm. Frankly, in the places I've worked, I didn't see why it had to be through email vs coming to my office or calling me.

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BeetleB 3445 days ago
>What is it about the email that makes you think you have to respond soon? Is it the culture at the company around email?

Yep. They insist they need answers soon.

(They probably do, but they should just come down to my office or have a proper meeting).

Really, as I said, they're essentially having meetings asynchronously through email.

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