Being able to communicate with your boss is something that can have a huge impact on your career. Good communication can save you a lot of stress and present opportunities to grow your career. On the other hand, poor communication can add to your stress and make doing your job much harder.

Whether you’re asking for a sick day, filing a report, or presenting your findings, you need to know how to approach your boss. This means learning how to to strike the right tone to convey your message clearly, each word carries weight and ensures a positive relationship.

So if you are trying to write to your boss, here are some tips you should think about.

Maintain A Professional Atmosphere

When communicating with your boss, always keep things professional. It doesn’t matter if you are on friendly terms with them or if they talk casually. This is a work environment and there has to be a certain level of professionalism.

Talking too casually when with them might come off as disrespectful or that you aren’t taking your job seriously. This tone matters more if you are completing a task for them or presenting something because that is a situation relevant to the business so you want to give it all the gravity it deserves.

You can do this in a couple of ways such as using their title when addressing them (unless they say otherwise), avoiding contractions in your reports, and never using slang terms.

Get to the Point Immediately

Your boss is probably a busy person and whenever you communicate with them, it’s best not to mince words. They don’t always have time to exchange pleasantries, so it’s best to say what you need to say immediately.

No matter what you want, whether it’s making a request or submitting your work, don’t beat around the bush as this might annoy them. Lead with the most important information upfront so they understand what you want immediately. If they need to learn more details, they can ask about it.

This should be reflected in your email subject. When communicating with them, the subject line should always be filled and should say what you want in plain terms. Saying things like “Requesting a Day Off” or “I finished the task you gave me” are perfect examples of how you should communicate.

Don’t Be Afraid to Follow Up With Them

There will be times when you send your email and do everything right, but do not get a response. When that happens, don’t panic, and feel free to send a follow-up email. Many people get worried about this, but you have every right to do this, especially if your message is time-sensitive.

What matters is how you write this follow-up email. First, you should wait an appropriate amount of time before writing it. You don’t want to badger your boss so depending, so try to wait a few hours or even a day before sending a second message depending on how time-sensitive it is.

The other important thing is how you write the email. You want to be composed but emphasize the need for immediate action. Start by gently reminding them that you sent a previous message and say that you would like to follow up on it. Then remind them of what you are asking them and how you need a response as soon as possible. Don’t say that you need it now, just that you need it as soon as they can.

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