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Correct Protocol for When Boss Says "Thank You" in an Email


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Hey guys...my first thread!

 

 

This may seem like a REALLY stupid question, but I really don't know what the correct response is for this.

 

 

When I complete a task, my boss always emails me and says "thank you"!

 

 

I might complete six or seven tasks in one day, after which he always emails back "thank you." Which is SOOOOO nice and I really appreciate when he does this.

 

 

Now my dilemma... should I be emailing him back with "you're very welcome" each time.... or should I just ignore?

 

 

Of course if he were to thank me IN PERSON, naturally I would say "you're welcome," but it seems rather redundant to keep emailing back and forth "thank you," and "you're welcome."

 

 

What have others done?

 

 

Again, realize silly question....but today it happened a bunch of times. The first thank you I got, I emailed back "you're welcome," but then after that.... I dunno it just seemed sort of silly.

 

 

Plus he gets SOOOOOOO many emails, does he really need ANOTHER ONE from me that he has to open simply saying "you're welcome"? Does he even care?

 

 

I feel like an idiot for even asking this...LOL .... but prior to him...it was rare when my boss would email me saying thank you.... so I never had to worry about it.

 

 

Thanks! :)

Edited by katiegrl
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Hm, I suppose it depends a lot on the nature of your relationship. Forex if your workplace is formal vs. relaxed and so on.

 

I think in general the appropriate thing to do is say you're welcome every time someone thanks you for sth. That's just as much etiquette in terms of replying to being spoken to as the "you're welcome"s themselves. (Meaning that if someone says sth to you and you're silent in return, it could appear rude, no matter how many times you've already said the same thing.) I know it's a bit of a silly game ultimately but we don't make the rules and sometimes it's best just to play by them. (Pretty harmless to anyway.) :)

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Hm, I suppose it depends a lot on the nature of your relationship. Forex if your workplace is formal vs. relaxed and so on.

 

I think in general the appropriate thing to do is say you're welcome every time someone thanks you for sth. That's just as much etiquette in terms of replying to being spoken to as the "you're welcome"s themselves. (Meaning that if someone says sth to you and you're silent in return, it could appear rude, no matter how many times you've already said the same thing.) I know it's a bit of a silly game ultimately but we don't make the rules and sometimes it's best just to play by them. (Pretty harmless to anyway.) :)

 

 

I hear ya jen, thanks. But like I said, he is a busy attorney and I don't want to bog him down with extra emails to open simply saying "you're welcome." I mean, he may not even care.... OR worse, find it annoying (even though he knows he shouldn't).

 

 

I mean the man gets upwards of 75 emails per day!

 

 

Of course like you said, if he thanked me in person, I would always respond with "you're welcome"!

 

 

Our office environment is very very casual if that makes a difference.

 

 

I realize I am WAY over-thinking here....but today especially I started to think about it....because I did a bunch of quick tasks (like 10) and he emailed me each time to say thanks.

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Stage5Clinger

I'm in this situation a lot and unless you are particularly proud of an individual achievement you ignore. If it's something huge you're really proud of or its someone you like on a personal level you say you're welcome.

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I don't think a "you're welcome" email is necessary. I rarely do it, and never expected it from anyone else. (And I'm speaking from the perspective of a busy attorney.) A "you're welcome" email is just more noise and nonsense in my inbox that I have to delete. I already know. No need to say it.

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You don't have to say "you're welcome" when the boss replies "thank you". You could, if you want, but it's really not necessary and it's a rather useless email. He has to thank you, because he needs to acknowledge your effort and encourage his team, but you don't have to say you're welcome back. I'd say "my pleasure" instead of "you're welcome" btw. Just occasionally though.

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You don't have to say "you're welcome" when the boss replies "thank you". You could, if you want, but it's really not necessary and it's a rather useless email. He has to thank you, because he needs to acknowledge your effort and encourage his team, but you don't have to say you're welcome back. I'd say "my pleasure" instead of "you're welcome" btw. Just occasionally though.

 

Yes, I have said that too.... especially when receiving a thank you in person.

 

 

Re it being a "useless" email...that is precisely what I was thinking too.....just wasn't sure.

 

 

Hence this thread.

 

 

Whew....now I don't feel so bad for not replying to the nine other emails he sent me saying "thank you." :):):):)

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jam.over.jelly

HOnestly, I just think that if your boss does indeed take the time to email you to say thank you EVERY SINGLE TIME, you can at least do the same. I know it sounds really tidious and redundant and time consuming, but since he's your boss, and he's doing it, so I would say it's best you do it too. Eventually, what is there to lose, right? Hope that helps somehow.

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I wouldn't reply to each one, but if I were in the elevator with him at some point, I would tell him how you appreciate receiving his "thank you" e-mails acknowledging your contribution.

G

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I wouldn't reply to each one, but if I were in the elevator with him at some point, I would tell him how you appreciate receiving his "thank you" e-mails acknowledging your contribution.

G

 

Funny you should bring that up! I actually HAVE done that (not in the elevator though)....but right in the office.

 

 

I have told him how much I appreciate it when he acknowledges the work I do...that it helps with morale, which is important. (I manage the office in addition to the legal work....and, as such, do HR stuff too). So I have talked with him about increasing staff morale, and stuff like that.

 

 

jam.over.jelly...thank you, but like I said he is a VERY busy attorney and receives upward of 75 emails per day....so I am really thinking of HIM here. Don't want to bog him down with having to open and read (and then delete) "useless" emails (as BluEyel said)....if you know what I mean... :):):)

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Food for thought on the number of e-mails - maybe this is a regional sensibility but where I'm at at least, ppl think of e-mail as the 'level 3' priority. That makes it not terribly intrusive to begin with. (Level 1 and 2 are phone calls and texts respectively.) If you called him a bunch of times a day that would get old fast, but e-mails are pretty ignorable and unintrusive by nature. They don't shout "READ ME! DO IT! DO IT NOW!!!" (Unless you request a read receipt lol.)

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I don't think it's necessary to respond.

 

However, if I am doing multiple tasks that my boss needs to know about I will either go over and tell him once something is done or send just one mail after everything is complete letting him know what has been done.

 

I do either or because I know he gets a huge amount of emails.

Do you normally send a mail for each task?

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I don't think a "you're welcome" email is necessary. I rarely do it, and never expected it from anyone else. (And I'm speaking from the perspective of a busy attorney.) A "you're welcome" email is just more noise and nonsense in my inbox that I have to delete. I already know. No need to say it.

 

I agree with this. I typically add a "thanks" to each email I send at work. It's sort of customary and I don't expect any returned emails with "you're welcome".

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Next time you're talking to him, tell him why you don't respond with 'you're welcome'. It's likely he'll appreciate your consideration and if he was previously expecting a response, he won't expect any in the future.

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Ask him. ;)

 

This is purely a preference that is going to be unique to each individual. As a manager, no I would not want/need a "you're welcome" email and it wouldn't even make it on my radar. But others may want/appreciate it.

 

So to better get to know him, next time you are sitting down with him ask him if he would appreciate a response when he sends them so he knows you are acknowledging and appreciating his gratitude.

 

But only he can really answer this.

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thank you, but like I said he is a VERY busy attorney and receives upward of 75 emails per day....so I am really thinking of HIM here. Don't want to bog him down with having to open and read (and then delete) "useless" emails (as BluEyel said)....if you know what I mean... :):):)

 

When a very busy person, such as your boss, takes time to send an email thanking you, it's courteous to return a response with each prompt ;)

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I don't think it's necessary to respond.

 

However, if I am doing multiple tasks that my boss needs to know about I will either go over and tell him once something is done or send just one mail after everything is complete letting him know what has been done.

 

I do either or because I know he gets a huge amount of emails.

Do you normally send a mail for each task?

 

 

Hi Gemma.... yes we always communicate via email so when I complete a task, I would email him and let him know I have completed it (for each task).

 

 

But you just gave me a great idea...and I started it today.

 

 

When I complete a task, I will verbally tell him, this way he can thank me in person and I can say "you're welcome," or "my pleasure," in person.

 

 

Problem solved....thank you!

 

 

And thanks to everyone else who responded too.... :) :)

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I am in the same position as your boss and if I sent a thank you every time a junior, (paralegal, law clerk in America) etc did as task that was a normal part of their role/remit I'd drive both of us nuts. May I ask the size of this firm and how long your boss as been in practice?

 

 

I'm not sure how you address your boss, my main country of practice is quite formal, and it is nice to get praise for a job well done or perhaps something you have done that is outside your usual scope.

 

 

How does this sound? Next time you get a thank you, maybe respond like this to endeavour to change the frequency

 

 

"Salutation,

 

 

You are very welcome, and I really do enjoy my role here at X firm working as an "insert your title here" and feeling so appreciated by you for the work I do, especially when these tasks are just part of doing the job I enjoy so much supporting (working with) you.

 

 

Since you always treat me so respectfully, I wanted you to know that while I appreciate the thank you emails, it amazes me how much email you have to cope with related to case volume, it seems sensible to me to let you know that you actions and mentoring let me know that you appreciate me. I thought I'd let you know how much I enjoy doing my job duties that are part of my contract and salary, and to free up more of your time for focus on other matters, it might be helpful to have one email that tanks me for anything I am doing that is working well for you but also points to areas that require my attention in a more focused way so I can reduce cycle time. If we can cut emailing down I am sure we will have more time to do briefs and letters. what a amazing things we could accomplish !

 

 

Kindly,

 

 

Your name

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In this situation, I don't think your boss is really thanking you, he is acknowledging receipt of your report, as in "ok", but nicer. So "you're welcome" is not the matching response anyway, although you can say it in person without sounding weird.

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In this situation, I don't think your boss is really thanking you, he is acknowledging receipt of your report, as in "ok", but nicer. So "you're welcome" is not the matching response anyway, although you can say it in person without sounding weird.

 

I agree with you Maggie...and no longer feel "bad" for not replying back with a formal "you're welcome" or "my pleasure" each time. Not necessary.

 

Thanks again all!

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I never reply to "thank yous" unless I have something specific to add!

 

This.

 

I've said "Thank you" as a boss, but the last thing I need is to read "You're welcome" emails.

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Again I agree with Methodical. Definitely say thank you every time!

 

Here's my rationale: First off, he took the time to acknowledge you, is there any question you should acknowledge him back?

 

Second, ANYTIME ANYONE sends me ANYTHING, I acknowledge it and soon. I feel that's proper etiquette. Even if it's the most stupid benign tripe, I let them know I got it. Of course I draw the line at acknowledging an acknowledgement, that has the possibility of going on ad infinitum.

 

He's a busy dude. He gets LOTS of emails, you said so yourself...but he finds the time to email you a thanks? Even if it's a dumb form email and he just clicks send, he's making a gesture. Do the same back EVERY TIME! He gets 75 emails a day? a few more won't faze him.

 

My new boss just flew out here just to meet me and spend a day with me. Can you imagine? I'm in awe! This is a busy guy! He runs the entire central America part of a HUGE company's department. He's a "big-wig" in every sense of the word. Yet, I have met him twice now and he resides more than half of the USA away from me! The first time he and another "big wig" went to northwest USA for interviews. That's cool enough but to fly here to meet me and welcome me!!?? This company has 50,000 employees! He flew out here just to meet me? Wow!

 

I can't thank him enough nor wonder how any company could make me feel more welcome! It's all in the gestures! Make yours, they only take a minute. Even if it's 20 times a day, do it!!!!!!!

 

Ken

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If you feel it's not appropriate to say "you're welcome", then say "I appreciate your acknowledgement." Say something!

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This.

 

I've said "Thank you" as a boss, but the last thing I need is to read "You're welcome" emails.

 

Why would that bother you? Just curious. If it does, why would you say "thank you" in the first place? do you not mean it?

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