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Deciphering "ambiguous emails" from colleagues can be just as stressful as dealing with an over-flowing inbox, Australian research shows.
A University of Queensland study has found poorly written or complex emails, coupled with the expectation of an immediate reply, were a significant contributor to workplace stress and conflict.
"Complex and emotionally-driven emails may complicate the message and allow room for misinterpretation," said study author and provisional psychologist, Rowena Brown.
"Our study found poorly crafted and complex emails can contribute to work-related stress, such as feeling overloaded as well as impacting on job satisfaction and working relationships."
The study took in 218 members of university staff who sent and received 30 emails daily on average - including spam.
Respondents reported that interpreting ambiguous emails could be just as stressful as receiving large volumes of messages.
These: "poorly written emails can also create confusion and disagreements over work-related activities and responsibilities".
"Feeling stressed, overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted are other common strains caused by emails," Brown says.
The size of a worker's inbox was also found to be an indicator of their job satisfaction.
Paradoxically, respondents who received the most emails also reported increased job satisfaction and this was possibly because it allowed workers to feel "connected and important" at work.
"Email is a double-edged sword," Brown says.
"We know that email can help employees to feel engaged with and connected to their work colleagues, however, the impact of a poor quality email, combined with the expectation to respond immediately, can create unnecessary stress."
Brown will present her PhD findings at the Australian Psychological Society's Eighth Industrial and Organisational Psychology Conference, now underway in Sydney.
"Our research raises important issues for employers, who have a responsibility to train their staff in appropriate email etiquette," Brown also says.
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