With the widespread use of digital technology, email has gained particular importance. With email, communication has become much easier, as people have been able to communicate with colleagues, relatives, loved ones, and business partners and representatives of organizations, literally in real-time, avoiding all the difficulties of “physical” communication. However, what is interesting is a study of the extent to which such communication has been modified with the advent of the phenomenon of email.
In the context of interpersonal communication, two effects should be highlighted. First, email has meaningfully broadened the scope of communication so that communication is no longer only realized in the real world but can easily be continued online as well. This has changed the perception of interpersonal communication and greatly simplified the availability of communication. Meanwhile, email has changed the perception of nonverbal communication through emotions and body language, since in text correspondence, especially of a business nature, such expressions of speech do not make sense (Smith, n.d.). Of course, there are alternatives in the form of emoji and stickers, but in emails, as a rule, such forms are rarely used, unlike in messengers. From these features, an essential advantage of email is highlighted, namely increased accessibility, the possibility of virtually limitless communication, and staying connected with people at all times. However, there are also disadvantages: dependence on Internet equipment, the need for an electronic device, and any cybersecurity concerns.
It is easy to make mistakes in electronic correspondence, as individuals automatically try to extrapolate real-world communication skills to the digital world. These mistakes include ignoring the type of interlocutor and lack of digital etiquette, mixing up writing styles, and sending long, unstructured messages (CNBC, 2018). To avoid making these mistakes in everyday correspondence, it is advisable to learn the rules of electronic etiquette, review your messages before sending, the appropriateness of using slang and style for specific interlocutors and reducing the letter to the minimum size that retains meaning.