I write about the importance of not being an e-jerk when it comes to email in my upcoming book, The Jerk-Free Workplace. One study showed that employees have a difficult time interpreting the intended tone of up to 50% of all emails, so it can be easy to unintentionally come across like a jerk if you aren't being careful.

Another study, reported in the Journal of Occupational Healthy Psychology, found that participants received a rude email on 47% of the days studied. Employees who suffered from passive incivility through emails were more likely to report insomnia. Simple things, like not hearing back from a supervisor on an important email, left many employees feeling stressed and slighted.

With so many employees working remotely, communicating effectively via email is more important than ever. So, set some ground rules as to when emails are permitted (are after-work hour emails OK?) and guidelines around what's reasonable in terms of a response. With stress levels higher than normal these days, be extra aware of how your tone might come across. Survey everyone on their biggest email pet peeves as a way to gently remind people to "practice safe email." On that note, here, in descending order, are the worst email habits people reported in a recent survey:  
 

• USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS FOR ENTIRE SENTENCES! I MEAN, WHO DOES THAT?
• Using kisses or "x" 
• CCing people who don't need to be included
• Using slang, such as OMG or ROLF or BTWFRG (I have no idea what that means, BTW)
• Too many exclamation marks!!!! Seriously, people!!!!!!!! 
• Sending before proffreading...I mean proofreading 
• Sending emails that are way too long
• Not having an email signature

Please let me know what e-jerk behavior drives YOU batty!