Is It Inappropriate to Send an Email Late at Night?

You need to take a rest and shut off that computer! Your late night emails are hurting your team and affecting its performance. Well, many of us have ideas late at night, just before dozing off or just after we had our dinner.

However, just because we had a sudden idea or an innovative thought doesn’t mean that we should open up the laptop and type out an email for the rest of the team! While this might look like the right thing to do, it isn’t something that you should be doing.

Related: Quick & Valuable Tips To A New Start Up.

‘Why?’ You may ask!

As it Can Decrease Your Productivity.

It is true that corporate culture has changed remarkably over the years. So email correspondences have increased. But just because you have an email, and you can send someone a message in the dead of the night doesn’t mean that you should. Plus, you don’t have to send constant emails to be successful. It is certainly a common behavior, but it can reduce your team’s productivity.

But how?

Well, when you send an email to your team, they develop a perspective that their boss is working. And even though your team member might be going off to sleep, s/he will end up spending a few precious minutes reading the email, understanding it, developing a point of view and then thinking about a course of action.

Worse! They might just put off their sleep and start working immediately. In fact, you may be unintentionally chaining your employees to work 24×7. Moreover, that’s not going to do you any good. After all, if they don’t rest, they won’t feel fit.

And if they aren’t at their best, they wouldn’t be very productive. So, overall, what may start off as a general discussion or a necessary sharing of idea may reduce employee productivity, will probably make your team more irritable (since they don’t get enough rest) and may make them a workaholic. Also if you want to improve business you should fix your mindsets.

But before you stop sending the emails, you should sit back and understand why you send those late night emails in the first place. There are two reasons behind it. You may be doing so because you are ambitious and always want to be ready to face new challenges, or you may be doing this to get some extra attention or you want your team members to work unintentionally even when they are out of the office.

However, any of these reasons would point towards poor management skills, something that you don’t want to have in this competitive world.

Regardless of the intent, never disconnecting from the world may actually point out your lack at communication or understanding of office protocols, even if that’s actually not true.

So, it is high time that you stop sending in those late-night emails and texts. Being online all the time will hurt your team results. Not only will the employees be always concerned about the constant monitoring, their innovation, but creativity and inspiration will also even reduce.

And since you know it, your team will start faring worse than other teams in the office. Maybe, you should be examining your communication habits. If you are a senior in your team you should know the signs of bed leader to improve yourself.

It is ideal that you get clear about your expectations when it comes to emails and communications and set up policies, not just for yourself but for your entire team. You need to find ways to disconnect and ensure that the after-hours communication related to the projects or teamwork is minimal. This policy will help you increase productivity during the office hours and give you the opportunity to tell your time that downtime is important and that you respect their privacy.

Here’s why you should be disconnecting from your team members late at night

To Increase Productivity

As mentioned earlier, disconnecting from the smartphone will help your team sleep better, which will instantly increase their productivity. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it is actually quite true.

To Increase Employee Management

There’s a productivity paradox that states that being connected with the employees for too long can result in high level of stress, which can actually cause disengagement from the tasks. That’s why it is important to give teams some privacy.

To Stimulate Creativity

Downtime to pursue different activities, hobbies or even for resting can encourage creativity and ensure innovative strategies for your team.

It is Unethical

Being connected with your employees, always interrupting them and buzzing notifications on their cellphones is wrong and downright disrespectful.

So, don’t hurt your team’s productivity, creativity, motivation and love for the job by sending them late night emails.

Also Read: 13 Things That Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.