E-Mail Replace Meetings, Essay Example

E-Mail is without doubt one of the most widely used means of world-wide communications to-day.  It has been argued that this media might replace conventional face-to-face communications and conventional meetings.  Whilst this medium may be suitable for general purpose meetings it is certainly not appropriate for other types of meetings.  This is best explained by using specific examples.  (1)  Termination or Discipline of an employee – You cannot do this by e-mail or online meeting, there may be union requirements, legal requirements and documentation needed in order to formally record the event. The employee also needs the opportunity to put his/her opinion to the management.  (2) Briefing a confidential event – A situation that may need the support of a specific employee. You will need to see and interpret ‘body language’ and this can only be conducted by a face-to-face meeting; e-mail would be totally inappropriate.  (3) Condolence – A loss of an employee or family member is best expressed as a statement of personal remorse and never by the impersonal, cold dismissive tone of e-mail. “As a result of e-mails’ ease of use and informal nature, some employees may make derogatory statements about a co-worker, circulate off-color or sexually explicit jokes or pictures, make bigoted remarks”. (Lichtash, 2004).

Building business relationships is based upon trust and face-to-face contact. You cannot build these relationships over the phone or on a computer. “Business at its heart is all about relationships, and there’s still no substitute for face-to-face contact when it comes to building those ties” (Klien, 2005). Networking also builds up your business and social contacts and whilst social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, incorporating both e-mail and instant messaging, are useful communication media they will not generate business leads like meeting at the golf club, social mixer evenings etc. People have to get to know you at the personal level and not by some electronic avatar or webcam picture. “Concentrate your “face time” on attending functions sponsored by business organizations that will lead to new clients and business education” (Klien, 2005).

So use e-mail for instant messages, informal communications and bulletins but remember the importance of face-to-face meeting for developing business and social contacts.

Works Cited

Klien, K. E. (2005, 3 3). You Can’t Replace Face Time . Retrieved 8 15, 2010, from Business Week: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2005/sb2005033_8163_sb006.htm

Lichtash, A. “. (2004, 4). Inappropriate Use of E-Mail and the Internet in the Workplace: The Arbitration Picture. Retrieved 8 15, 2010, from BNET: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3923/is_200402/ai_n9392244/