With thanks to all who participated, here are the results of my latest weekend poll. Our focus: Do you routinely include a signature line when sending email messages?

81% of respondents routinely insert signature lines

… and, in a number of instances, the insertion is automated. Just over 13% of respondents are comfortable with the absence of such a signature, but 77% are not. Why? Well, if you’ve ever tried to phone or send written correspondence that requires a sender’s job title or mailing address, you’ll understand.

Saying no to quotations, and no messages encouraging people to avoid printing

… is the norm for many of you. However, 42% of respondents do include statements to the effect that the message is privileged and not to be disclosed or used by other parties.

THE DATA

Note: Information below reflects the percentage of respondents who selected specific responses from multiple choice options.  In instances where more than one person offers similar responses to an open ended question, I typically cluster or paraphrase such responses rather than duplicating all of them.

Do you routinely include a signature line/file in your email messages?

• Yes: 81% of respondents
• No: 13% of respondents
• 6% of respondents selected “Other”.  Comments were as follows.
  • It’s automatically set up for all business emails, and it’s policy
  • (answer reflects) assumption (that it’s) work e-mail
  • At work, yes; privately, I forego them

Do you find it frustrating when people don’t include a signature line/file?

• Yes: 77.33% of respondents
• No: 13.33% of respondents
• 11.33% of respondents selected “Other”.  Comments were as follows.
  • You need to have their contact details as a POC (point of contact). It’s business.
  • It depends – internally, no; externally, yes
  • Extremely
  • Especially when I need to call them and no phone number is listed
  • Sometimes
  • In business, omitting signatures is unprofessional.

Does your principal/executive routinely include a signature line/file in her/his messages?

• Yes: 71.5% of respondents
• No: 17% of respondents
• 12% of respondents selected “Other”. Readers commented as follows.
  • It’s automatically set up for every email
  • For messages to externals
  • Some do, some don’t
  • On emails sent on laptop, but not always on emails sent by iPhone
  • Not in messages sent from the smartphone
  • It depends on the addressee

If you don’t use a signature line/file, why not?

• It’s an internal message within the department.
• Sometimes I don’t in an email chain – internal only
• Only after the initially sent email
• I do not use one in private communication, since those people know my contact details

If you use a signature line/file, does yours include a statement noting that the message is privileged/not to be disclosed or used by other parties?

• No: 48% of respondents
• Yes: 42% of respondents
• 10% of respondents selected “Other”. Readers commented as follows.
  • It’s company policy that this be included in all outgoing emails
  • I have multiple signatures – so yes; on some
  • This is automatically added by our signature generator
  • It is automatically a part of my signature at work
  • This part is automatically added by the IT provider

Do you have a quote/inspirational message in your signature line/file?

• No: 96% of respondents
• Yes: 2% of respondents
• 2% of respondents selected “Other”. One person reported that the corporate quote is part of the signature line.

Do you have a note discouraging unnecessary printing of the email message in your signature line/file?

• No: 72% of respondents
• Yes: 28 % of respondents