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Slack and Email Etiquette

Slack and Email Etiquette

Assigned To: Sarah Dungan, Victor Alfaro, Jessica Myers, Karen Morgan, Trent Scipio, Carly Cavagnoli

Category: Employee Life Cycle

Department: Academic Advisor, Academics Team, Admissions, All Zollege, BLS Instructors, Business Development, Campus Manager, Collections, Compliance, DOZE Admin, Delta Force Team, Finance, Instructors, Marketing, People and Culture, Placement Specialists, Procurement, Program Manager, Staffing Specialists, Student Assistant Coordinators (SACs), Student Success Admin, Student Support, Technology, Training Site Coordinator, Workforce Development

SOP Rule: Cadence

Status: Approved and Implemented

Purpose

Establishes clear guidelines for effective and professional communication using Slack and email, ensuring messages are organized, appropriate, and respectful of time and attention.

Scope

Applies to all staff using Slack and email for internal communication, including guidelines on usage, etiquette, and communication best practices.

Trigger

  • New employee onboarding or ongoing communication usage

Process Overview

1. General Slack Use

  • Use Slack for quick questions, updates, and informal communication
  • Use Slack for shoutouts and team recognition
  • Use Slack for minor updates or quick coordination
  • Avoid using Slack for important or referenceable information
  • Avoid complex conversations requiring multiple stakeholders
  • Avoid long-term file storage or important documentation
  • Use email for important, referenceable, or formal communication

2. Posting Etiquette

  • Avoid cluttering channels with multiple or long messages
  • Use threads when replying to messages
  • Avoid repeating information across multiple channels
  • Use emoji reactions to acknowledge messages when appropriate

3. Channel Guidelines

  • #general_workrelated: Company-wide announcements and updates
  • #sharing_non-workrelated: Informal and social content
  • #zollegechamps: Recognition and shoutouts
  • #birthday_work-anniversary_shoutouts: Celebrations and milestones
  • Additional channels should be assigned by leadership

4. Email vs Slack Guidelines

  • Email for important, referenceable, or multi-stakeholder communication
  • Email for long-term file sharing and documentation
  • Slack for quick, informal, and temporary communication
  • Use “Reply All” only when necessary
  • Use Bcc appropriately to reduce inbox clutter
  • Do not reply-all to emails where you are Bcc’d

5. Slack Tips & Features

  • Edit or delete messages using message options
  • Use reminders for follow-ups
  • Mute channels when appropriate
  • Use search to find messages efficiently
  • Update status for availability and working hours

6. Summary

  • Use Slack for quick and informal communication
  • Use email for important and trackable communication
  • Keep conversations organized using threads
  • Use appropriate channels for communication
  • Avoid unnecessary notifications and clutter

Completion Criteria

  • Employees understand Slack and email usage guidelines
  • Communication follows proper etiquette standards
  • Messages are organized and sent through appropriate channels

Tools and Systems

  • Slack
  • Email (Google Workspace / Gmail)

Revision History

  • Version 1: 06/17/2025
  • Version 2: TBD
  • Version 3: TBD