Email & Digital Communications
Digital communication has changed the way we do business – and we owe that in part to email. It's fast, generally efficient and a solidly established workplace tool.
Because so much of our communication is done via email, how we represent ourselves and our organization via the tool is an important part of our brand.
Email Standards
Email Signature
Email Privacy Statement
Use of the UTMB standard email privacy statement outlined below is recommended (but not required at this time). The statement can be included as part of the email signature so that it's added automatically to each message. Simply copy the text below and paste it in to your email signature, below the UTMB Health logo and your contact information.
The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged, confidential, and/or protected from disclosure. This e-mail message may contain protected health information (PHI); dissemination of PHI should comply with applicable federal and state laws. If you are not the intended recipient, or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, any further review, disclosure, use, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message or any attachment (or the information contained therein) is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this e-mail message in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete all references to it and its contents from your systems.
Email Text Style
The body copy of your e-mail should be set in Arial 11 pt, black.
The e-mail signature text should be Arial bold and black for your name, Arial and gray for your title and address information, set in 8 point type.
The text for the privacy statement (if used) should be set in Arial 8pt, gray (#444444)
Email Best Practices
- Include a clear and meaningful subject line.
- Include a signature block and privacy statement.
- Check spelling.
- Use professional salutations.
- Use exclamation points and emojis sparingly, if at all.
- Double-check that you've selected the correct recipient. Ensure it's appropriate to "reply all" if you are planning to do so.
- Write concise messages; recipients do not want to read walls of text.
- Be cautious with humor and sarcasm; it often does not translate.
- Know that people from different cultures speak and write differently
- Reply to emails in a timely manner.
- Check your attachment sizes. Could that large attachment be sent as a linked file instead?