You Might Be Offending Your Co-Workers With These Passive-Aggressive Email Phrases — Here's What to Say Instead There could be a more diplomatic way to get your message across.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Most people say the amount of work emails that land in their inbox each day is stressful.
- Passive-aggressive phrases might contribute to the problem — and cause tension in the workplace.
Most people say the number of work emails they receive each day is stressful, according to a recent survey from language learning platform Babbel, per CNBC, and 18% of office workers admit to having over 1,000 unread emails in their inbox.
As it turns out, passive-aggressive language — inadvertent or not — might exacerbate the issue.
Related: The Biggest Stressors at Work Can Make Your Productivity Plummet. How Many Are Holding You Back?
Nearly half (47.69%) of U.S. workers have received passive-aggressive emails in 2024, according to a study from email tracker Mailsuite, which surveyed 2,000 Americans.
What's more, the majority (86.09%) of those passive-aggressive emails were sent from within the recipient's company, per the survey.
Maybe you've experienced virtual slights firsthand — or even helped perpetuate them.
Phrases like "Just a friendly reminder" and "Thank you in advance" might feel loaded, depending on the recipient's perspective, but they can be softened with some strategic fine-tuning.
Related: 4 Ways to Stop Passive Aggression From Creating a Toxic Workplace
On a mission to address the issue, Mailsuite created a Google Chrome extension that identifies and replaces passive-aggressive language with constructive alternatives.
Check out Mailsuite's infographic below for 10 passive-aggressive phrases best avoided in work emails — and the alternatives to replace them with:
Image Credit: Courtesy of Mailsuite
