What you should - and should never - write in a work email

From calling someone a “f***ing cow” on Slack to forwarding emails labelling Auckland Council members “dip shits”, New Zealand has seen a flurry of leaked communications aired publicly in recent years. Why has this problem skyrocketed? And how can you ensure you don’t end up on the awkward end of a sticky situation?

Workplaces can be frustrating, no matter how much you like your job. Sharing those frustrations can help to put them in perspective, but it’s how you do it that matters.

Many Kiwis would admit venting to a colleague via email or an online messaging tool about their conditions or situation.

But when these messages go public, this can lead to personal and professional consequences.

Take, for example, the owner of a community newspaper who made expletive-laden comments in a staff chat group, or Mayor of Auckland Wayne Brown, who forwarded his councillors copies of emails from the public in 2023, including one that called them “dip shits”.

While the Official Information Act allows the public and media to ask to see certain communications within government agencies (as long as it’s not personal information covered by the Privacy Act), the rise in social media and public forums has meant staff in private companies have also seen their messages made public, often unknowingly.

Selected quotes from emails Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown sent to his councillors. Graphic / NZ Herald

Ainsley Palairet calls herself lead fixer at FixHR, an Auckland-based company that helps create HR solutions for businesses.

She says the biggest risk when dealing with inter-office messaging is incorrectly assuming that digital conversations are private.

“Emails and messages can be screenshotted, forwarded, or accessed later, easily out of context. For small businesses, this can lead to reputational damage, legal exposure, and/or broken trust.

“Without clear policies, and people understanding and willingly following these, even casual comments and conversations can become liabilities.”

Screenshots are increasingly showing up in disciplinary processes, personal grievances, and media stories.

“It’s a big issue because digital messages feel informal, spontaneous, and relational, but they’re permanent records. People often say things they wouldn’t put in an email or say face-to-face, and that can backfire badly.”

Ainsley Palairet, of FixHR, says people should think of their messages and comms as if they were saying them out loud in a meeting.

Secure, business-grade platforms, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, with clear usage policies, are safer than texting or using personal apps, she says.

“But no platform is foolproof. The real safety comes from setting expectations: use professional language, avoid gossip, and stick to those standards, no matter who you are in the business. We recommend our clients teach their staff to treat every message as if it could be read aloud in a meeting.”

If an unwise message should lead to a disciplinary process, it is still important to recognise that “context matters”.

“Messages can absolutely form part of a disciplinary process, especially if they breach company policy or show misconduct.

“Employers need to follow fair process and consider intent, tone, and whether the employee knew their messages were being monitored. Leaked messages can be a red flag, but we wouldn’t rely on them as the whole story.”

Palairet suggests the following tips for dealing with workplace messaging and communications.

Do:

• Keep messages respectful and professional
• Use work channels for work topics
• Assume your messages could be seen by others
• Choose the right channel; some conversations are better face-to-face or over the phone
• Speak up early if something feels off

Don’t:

• Gossip or vent in writing
• Share sensitive information on unsecured platforms
• Use sarcasm or humour that could be misread
• Forget that tone is hard to read; clarify when needed
• Assume emojis mean the same thing to everyone; they are not universal

Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.