Firms count cost of failed email etiquette

Firms are putting their reputations at risk by failing to provide basic email training.

Embarrassing gaffes, such as those committed by Labour Party spin doctor Jo Moore, are being committed because staff have not received adequate training on the proper use of email at work, said Martino Corbelli, marketing manager at internet filtering vendor SurfControl.

"Employees should be prepared to sign, on headed paper, anything that they send out via company email," he said.

Moore had advised colleagues that the 11 September terrorist attacks would provide an opportunity to "bury" potentially damaging news.

She only received flak because the communication was via email and therefore a permanent record existed, Corbelli pointed out.

"If organisations trained their staff about what was appropriate for email communication and had proper policies, these problems could be avoided," he said.

SurfControl has recently produced two guides explaining when and how to use email safely, and how to draft policies.