Of all the ways e-mail can annoy people, here are the top 3 that etiquette experts warn against:

1. The passive aggressive cc:

This is when you send a copy of a message to someone who doesn’t really need to see it — in order to send a subtle message to the person.

For example: An employee e-mails a co-worker, asking her to do something. To make sure she really pays attention, he copies the boss on the e-mail.

Wrong move, experts say. Only include people who really need to see the message.

2. Hitting — or not hitting — ‘Reply all’

Depending on the situation, choosing whether to “Reply” or “Reply all” can be a big decision. It’s equally annoying for co-workers to get an unnecessary message as it to miss something they should’ve been included in.

The solution: Think before you click. The mistake is usually just the result of someone responding too quickly.

3. All-caps for any reason

This one is well-know, but bears repeating. Putting a word or two in capitals can provide needed emphasis. Writing a whole e-mail in caps is like shouting in someone’s face.

Tags: annoying, e-mail, etiquette