The soft "ding" of an email hitting the inbox is a sound we all know too well, but for some it's a real productivity killer and source of stress throughout the day. In this week's edition of our Productivity Hacks, IT leaders share how they deal with the issue of email overload.
Implement an email code
Max Silber, VP of Mobility, MetTel
"I initiated a policy where any email sent to me saying 'FYI' or 'see below' that require escalation will be automatically ignored. This allows me to see quickly if there are any emails that I need to address first thing if I’m coming back to my desk after being away at a meeting, etc.
All emails from teammates that require action on my behalf must be sent in a 'SCAG' format: Situation, Cause, Action Required and Goal/Preferred Outcome. This way, teammates are required to think about what they are asking, instead of just pushing the issue onto someone else."
Replace email with apps
Robert A. Pickering, VP, Enterprise Infrastructure, AAA Club Alliance
"Email is a productivity killer. Within IT, we have a mantra: if you¹re using email, it’s a sure sign of a broken process. And we’ve taken that mantra across the organization. When we find a process based on email, such as request for facilities assistance or approval for a purchase, we’re able to roll out a new app based on our service management platform, ServiceNow. The app replaces the clunky email process with a machine workflow. By exposing our lines of business, IT, HR, facilities, accounting and finance, even our road service teams to app dev, we can get work done faster. It’s changed the way we work."
Join us next Sunday for Part Five of our mini-series on Productivity Hacks.
