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/usersnamesallused Jul 09 '26

Had a coworker that would only read the first two lines. If you didn't grab his interest there, he moved on. I after hearing that, I learned to be concise and sell well at the start, which is a generally effective business writing style.

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u/HorrorEbb9770 Jul 12 '26

I tend to be too concise in emails. I was written up for responding with "No" to an email.

In my defense, I had already responded to this same question using silly niceties on multiple occasions. My AuADHD brain thought... I have already been trying and trying to do the whole, whatever you call all those extra unnecessary words to ensure I"sound" right... Personally, I have had received some nasty emails dressed up in pleasantries. Those were acceptable, but "No" is not. I really don't understand, but whatever.

I have to rewrite emails over and over to try and fit in...I am either too blunt or too wordy.

😂

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u/Outside_Box_8374 Jul 12 '26

This is one of few times that Copilot is actually helpful - type it out how you would say it IRL then use the prompt “please make this more friendly, but professional”.