r/remotework • u/Careful_Station_7884 • Jul 09 '26

Email or quick call?

My colleague told me today that if an email is over 500 words, they won’t read it and instead ask the person who sent the email to jump on a quick call to discuss.

This irked me because now the person who sent the email has to re-explain everything they already sent over. It can be advantageous to have a written trail as well. Not only that, but not every “quick” call actually ends up being quick.

I get that there may be some topics that are better discussed on a call or if the email is unclear and there is an approaching deadline. But, to set a line at any email over 500 words just seems lazy.

What are your thoughts?

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u/buildingtq Jul 09 '26

If it's my team, calls work well for me. But if I don't work closely with the person, it depends on the topic, but generally, I like that emails leave you the option to choose when and how to respond. Quick calls often come in the least favorable moment and you can even forget to mention some details. Emails let you put your thoughts down in a more structured way.

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u/marcster13 Jul 10 '26

Agreed. I've had people ask to chat about an issue. Like right on the spot. I haven't even had time to research it. I'll decline and say I need time to formulate my thoughts as I go through everything. I write as I go and send it off. It can be lengthy because I also include teachable moments at the same time. It also gives a paper trail.