Ms.Manners - MIA

by Anis rAmliBAlAnCE

for the new MIllennIuMMs.Manners

Win friends And influenCe people BY Being polite And prACtising good MAnners And CourtesY, WHetHer in tHe reAl or virtuAl Worlds.

Is the business world less mannerly

today? should we be striving

to restore good manners, or is etiquette something

that can be consigned to

the dustbin of history, much

like floppy disks and black and

white television?

Examples of less than exemplary behaviour are rife. A company secretary received a draft contract, which she was supposed to hand over for editing to her superior in the chain of command. The problem was, the draft was sent via WhatsApp, which hardly preserves confidentiality or security, much less elegant manners. It’s also common for formal invitations to be couched in short form, abandoning all pretense of a formal letter format and worse, written without a respectful tone and grammatically correct English.

But given how casual our interactions are today, is etiquette really necessary? definitely, according to Miss Manners herself, Ms emily post,

who defined etiquette as follows: “Whenever two people come together and their behaviour affects one another, you have etiquette. etiquette is not some rigid code of manners; it’s simply how persons’ lives touch one another.”

These are just some of the infractions that dog businesses today with respect to communications etiquette and general good manners in a digital and borderless economy.

94 accountants today | Nov 2016 - Feb 2017

Ms. MAnners for tHe neW MillenniuM

You’ve Got Email Certainly, our lives touch more and more; no man is an island in an environment facilitated by digital communications. In the Email Statistics Report (2013-2017) by research firm The Radicati Group, 132.1 billion business emails are expected to be exchanged daily by 2017, up from 100.5 billion in 2013. The numbers indicate that emails will remain the preferred choice for business communication tool. However, as digital faux pas become more ubiquitous, businesses (and individuals) must comply with digital work etiquettes to maintain professionalism at all times and to stop annoying others with their lack of social skills and manners.

According to Judith Kallos in her Business Email Etiquette e-book, we should stop assuming that just because it is an email communication, this allows us to be informal in our business communications. An email communication, she says, should be seen as writing on your company’s letterhead. The tone should not only be respectful, but the message for action also needs to be delivered succinctly and direct to the point.

“I think Millennials and Gen Zs are the worst culprits,” says Carolyn Yong of TP Consulting, an executive search firm. “I’ve had clients telling me how they have dealt with emails missing common punctuation marks, sporting inappropriate fonts

and riddled with spelling mistakes.” The culprit? Yong believes epistolary ignorance is on the

rise because business communications and/or business etiquette is usually not incorporated into formal education.

...we should stop assuming that just because it is an email communication, this allows us to be informal in our business communications.- Judith Kallos

Nov 2016 - Feb 2017 | accountants today 95


WhatsaPP-roPriate and not

HR executive Che Non Ishak agrees. She castigates those who use WhatsApp and similar messaging platforms for formal communications. ”My daughter recently got called back for a second interview with a GLC via WhatsApp. I think that is highly inappropriate, especially for a large GLC. It is a reflection of the kind of

whether you’re a Sdn Bhd or a GLC, you need to put in place a few digital policies and best practices,” Che Non cautions.

On the flip side, WhatsApp as an internal tool for project management and staff communication can be used to a company’s advantage. Whether broadcasting updates or disseminating company communications, WhatsApp can instantly bring together employees across the organisational hierarchy. Using the tool correctly can also push others to complete tasks on time, meet deadlines and get quicker response for urgent matters.

Still, the same basic etiquette that governs email communications should be observed when using WhatsApp (or any other IM applications) for business communications. For instance, refrain from messaging others after office hours, do not spam (like advertising someone’s serunding or meat floss business), confine pleasantries such as congratulatory messages to a personal window, do not use short forms and avoid unnecessary emoticons. Group administrators should also use the “mandate” given to them to monitor the decency, decorum and smooth flow of the chat group. It is not a bad idea either for companies to invest in digital etiquette training for their employees.

Perhaps when using WhatsApp for business communications, users should be aware that while the company hit one billion users earlier last year, its Data Privacy Record remains abysmal. The Electronic Frontier Foundation ranked WhatsApp last in 2015 for what it sees as adopting “none of the best practices we’ve identified.” This simply means that if any of your employees is using the app for any business transactions, either via their personal or company mobile, they are exposing your company to data breaches or security risks. However,

company etiquette you practise – and this does not look promising.”

She also believes that WhatsApp use should be banned from formal or business communications. Unlike emails, it is difficult to track and keep WhatsApp records, let alone to segregate personal and professional discussions. “Actually, WhatsApp and Facebook are great marketing tools for small businesses and to facilitate communications with customers. But

PerhaPs When usinG WhatsaPP for business CommuniCations, users should be aWare that While the ComPany hit one billion users earlier last year, its data PrivaCy reCord remains abysmal.



the company recently introduced end-to-end encryption in response to these security concerns.

Despite upgrades, mobile messaging will not supersede formal or more personal communication channels, which carry more impact. “Many tend to see mobile Instant Messaging as a great replacement for emails and/or face-to-face communications,” says Yong, “but this is flawed thinking.” Quality communications can never be replaced and, for sad or bad news or even an apology, it is still better to pick up the phone and speak to the person personally. Which means that if a candidate does not get called back for a second job interview or if the company is letting someone go on a separation scheme, speaking to them personally is not only decent, but goes a long way to reflect how your company values talents and its assets.

In addition, rescheduling meetings at the last minute or a request that needs an immediate response is best conveyed via a phone call as the

message may go unnoticed if the receiver has prior commitments.

universal etiquette

In Malaysia, which is a Muslim-majority country, there is no excuse for being boorish because good manners is fundamental to believers. Indeed, Islam offers a wholly complete code of etiquette for all interactions. “Etiquette, or adab is one of the most

stressed virtues of a practising believer and covers every behavioural context: from how to communicate with your employees, how to treat others, and how to seek knowledge – basically, how to lead your everyday life,” says international Islamic speaker Sheikh Hussain Yee. Adab in Islam reflects refinement, good manners, morals, decorum, decency and humaneness, the best examples of which are always derived from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

“Islamically, when you want to convey a message, the general principle is to deal with others with good conduct that promotes social harmony,” advises Yee. “Avoid harming, annoying or inconveniencing others and be respectful and clear with your message. This is the basis of good character in one’s dealings with others.” This attitude, he says, should be observed whether at work or otherwise.

Perhaps the best thing to remember about digital etiquette is to keep in mind the decorum of face-to-face communication, wrote Bruce Mayhew of the US-based company, Bruce Mayhew Consulting, which facilitates courses such as Business Writing and Email Etiquette. The same politeness and thoughtfulness should be observed online, because it is easy to forget that there is a real person on the other side receiving your messages even when you do not see them.

As businesses become more virtual, observing the right digital etiquette can only safeguard your reputation and by extension, reflects the trustworthy and honest way you do your business. In an era when trust and good reputation can vanish in a blink, good etiquette and honest communications can go a long way in earning the goodwill and loyalty of your customers and stakeholders. n

avoid harminG, annoyinG or inConvenienCinG others and be resPeCtful and Clear With your messaGe. this is the basis of Good CharaCter in one’s dealinGs With others.


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Ms.Manners - MIA