Issues and complaints are inevitable at the workplace and it is the responsibility of every employee to not try to solve the issue but also inform other stakeholders in the company including their manager and colleagues when applicable.
So in this blog post, you will learn how to write an email explaining a problem at work to your manager thereby helping him/her address it effectively, plus you will also learn about some best practices that can help you convey your concerns or issues with your manager while avoiding any professional communication pitfalls. So let us jump in.
Tips to Consider
Be specific and concise when sharing the issue or concern with your manager via email. The last thing your manager needs is vague terms or phrases that only make the problem seem more complex than it already is.
Remember that you are addressing your manager in a workplace set up, so keep your language professional and avoid accusatory, or rude language that will create more conflict in the organisation and only end up taking more time and effort away from the issue.
When you are stating an issue or concern, do not forget to share evidence to back it up in the form of screenshots, emails, documentation, etc. Evidence-backed claims are more likely to be taken seriously and thereby addressed faster.
While it is fine to detail your concern, the goal of the email should be about finding the optimal solution for the problem. So do not just write about the problem, but also share some suggestions on how you and your manager could go about solving it, thereby indicating to your manager that you are not just complaining.
Best Practices
Keep the email short and precise, your manager needs only the information that will help him solve the issue and not any irrelevant background details.
Ensure that the subject line gives your manager an accurate picture of the issue and its importance, so that his attention is captured.
Start the email with a polite greeting, this will ensure that a friendly tone is set for the email instead of an accusatory tone which is super unprofessional.
Ensure that your email has not mistakes or mis-information since this could lead to a misdiagnosis which will result in time wasted.
Sample Email to Your Boss About Concerns
Sample 1 (Looking to Meet and Discuss Solutions)
Subject Line: Urgent Issue in [Department]
Dear [Manager/Colleague's Name],
I want to bring an issue to your attention that has been affecting members of my team in [Department]. To be precise, the [Problem Description] is affecting [Affected Person/Team]. The issue is affecting the morale and productivity of the team and that would definitely impact our work environment adversely.
I have attached some screenshots to support my claims to ensure that the seriousness of the issue is accurately assessed. It would be very helpful if we can meet to quickly discuss solutions to this problem and address it at the earliest.
I would also like to suggest some possible solutions to the problem like:
[Describe Solution 1]
[Describe Solution 2]
I would greatly appreciate your feedback on my suggestions and I'm open to your ideas as well in solving this issue.
Thank you for taking time to look into this matter. I look forward to meeting you to address this soon.
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
Sample 2 (Asking for Suggestions/Calling for Action)
Subject: High Priority Issues in [Department/Team]
Dear [Name of the Recipient],
Hope all is well at your end. My name is [Your Name] and I am part of the [Department]. Lately, there has been an issue regarding [Problem Description] and it is becoming detrimental to the team's productivity.
I have attached some evidence to further corroborate my claims, and would be happy to connect you to others who are also been affected by the issue. It is my sincere hope that you assess the urgency of the matter and give us a pathway to solve this issue.
Also, I would like to suggest some possible solutions that I think might be worth considering:
[Describe Solution 1]
[Describe Solution 2]
Thanks for taking the time to address the issue. You can get back to me on this email or alternatively reach out to my team lead [Team Lead's Name].
Regards,
[Your Name]
Conclusion
Addressing an issue with your manager can be tricky and especially so when it is done through email. It should now be clear that to ensure effective communication of the complaint, you need to maintain a professional tone, be specific, provide evidence and be solution focussed.
Following the above stated best practices and ready-to-use email templates, you are now positioned perfectly to bring an issue to your manager's attention effectively and become a better employee in the process.
Thanks for reading this post and we hope you found this useful. If you are interested in more email templates or best practices, we have extensively written about it on the Routine Blog.
Finally, if you have not tried the Routine app, we would highly recommend you download it and get started.
