The HM employee handbook contains the full company email policy.

Emails from HM email addresses must be sent using typeface Arial, point size 11, using appropriate paragraph spacing. Company email signatures are automatically added to all sent emails – you will not see this when creating the email as it is added after the email is sent.

Emails are stored and backed up in the cloud. Make and keep hard copies of important emails.

Regularly check your email inbox for communications. This is one of the key channels for receiving and sending messages and should be continuously monitored throughout the day.

Reply promptly to all email messages requiring a reply. Where a prompt detailed response is not possible, send a short email acknowledging receipt and giving an estimate of when a full response will be sent.

Be sure to enable your out of office autoreply facility when going on leave, or when you will be away from your desk for an extended period. Include in the autoreply who the sender should contact in your absence, and when you are expected to be back at your desk.

Please use appropriate email etiquette in your messages. An overly formal style may seem tedious to people used to quick, friendly emails. Overly short emails can appear brusque. Typing in all capitals, all bold or extensive use of question and exclamation marks and can be considered rude.

As emails are emotionless forms of communication, be aware of how your message could be misinterpreted when creating the message. It is polite to send large files (e.g. those over 10MB) using an online transfer service such as WeTransfer.

Be vigilant for any form of infected or phishing emails. Seek advice before opening any suspicious emails or attachments.

• Do not reply to spam emails as this confirms the email was sent to a live address.
• Include a clear, direct subject line. Examples of a good subject line include “Meeting date changed,” “Quick question about your presentation,” or “Suggestions for the proposal.”
• Proofread every message. Don’t rely on spell-checkers. Read and re-read your email a few times aloud, before sending it off.

You don’t want to send an email accidentally before you have finished writing and proofing the message. Even when you are replying to a message, it’s a good precaution to delete the recipient’s address and insert it only when you are sure the message is ready to be sent.