“As Per My Last Email” and More: 11 Phrases That Might Be Ruining Your Reputation at Work

Many factors contribute to a hostile work environment including, office gossip, sexually—and culturally—offensive behavior and conduct that is NSFW. To add to that list is another, often overlooked, contributor: the passive-aggressive email. You know, the suggestive ones that say one thing but really mean another.

“As per my last email” and “Just a heads up” are classical examples of not-so-professional phrases often used in emails that can create tension with your colleagues. If you want to be seen as professional at work, it's a good idea to steer clear of those. 

Here's a list of phrases you should avoid, and better alternatives you can use instead.

11 unprofessional email phrases

Whether you enjoy your job and coworkers or not, it's generally not OK to be unprofessional at work. It can damage your reputation, get you fired, or hinder your chances of being promoted and included in events. So, think about removing these from your work vocabulary:

1. “I'm reattaching for convenience”

This phrase basically translates to, “I know you ignored it the first time, so I'm going to send it again to hold you accountable for actually opening it.” Unless you're someone's boss or manager, you probably shouldn't convey this passive-aggression in writing. Even if you are, a simple “I can send it again if you'd like” would be a more sensible response.

What to say instead:

If the goal is to get recipients to open a document, a better way to say this would be: “Did you have a chance to look at the attachment?” This alternative reminds recipients to open the attachment and moves the conversation forward with a response. 

2. “My apologies for the delay”

If you write this in an email, you might as well say, “Hey, I'm sorry I'm late. I was busy prioritizing other tasks. Here's that thing you've been waiting for.” While you should take responsibility for your lateness, a professional apology is better received in a face-to-face exchange or through changed behavior. 

What to say instead:

If you find yourself in this situation, try adding this to your email: “I realize that to successfully carry out projects such as this, timely participation is required from all parties. You can expect my response to come sooner in the future.” 

3. “As per my last email”

Bets are you've probably used this line before—we all did at a certain point in our careers. However, what you're really saying when you plug this into your email is, “This is the second time I'm telling you this. I don't want to have to tell you again.” Let's be honest here—it sounds kind of snooty, too.

What to say instead:

Instead of referring to your last email passive-aggressively, just say whatever needs to be said a second time to save everyone the archival search. For example, “Circling back to our earlier discussion, Anne is responsible for client management going forward.” 

4. “Does Wednesday still work as a deadline? No worries if it doesn't!”

This phrase sounds friendly, right? However, there's a problem: it's too friendly. You're basically communicating one of two things in your email: 1) “You haven't confirmed a deadline with me so I'll need to figure this out on my own if you don't respond.” Or 2) “You've already confirmed this deadline with me, but I don't trust that you'll have it in time, so let me know if I should just do this myself.” 

What to say instead:

There's no point in taking responsibility for a task that isn't yours, and no reason to stall a project because of your passivity. A better, and simpler, way to say this is, "I look forward to reconnecting on Wednesday!"

5. “I feel like”

“I feel like” is a filler phrase. It pads your thoughts with uncertainty and allows receivers to negotiate them. Take, for example, the difference between “I feel like we should wait until next week to decide” in comparison to “Let's wait until next week to decide.” 

The former opens up the floor for feelings while the latter confidently pushes the conversation forward. The second phrase invites less pushback or a more constructive alternative than the suggestion.

What to say instead:

Like the example above, you can substitute “I feel like” for a more assertive, while polite, phrase. For instance, “Let's push this presentation for next week,” “I'm confident we can wait until Monday morning to respond, would you agree?” 

6. “Just a heads up, I won't be coming in tomorrow”

Whether you have unlimited PTO or a set amount of sick days, it's best not to call off exclusively via email if you can help it. Not only is it unprofessional to plug the mention in an unrelated email, but it's also inconsiderate to your manager and team who may need to follow-up with you in the following days or will have to take over your time-sensitive responsibilities.

What to say instead:

Make the ask in person, as soon as you know you need to take off, or compose a new email requesting the day off to your manager. Here's how to say “just a heads up“ professionally: “Hi, Anne. I'm reaching out to let you know that I have five days of PTO scheduled for next week.  Is there anything I need to take a look at before next week? Please let me know and I'll make this a priority.” 

This might also help: How to Call Out of Work (Examples Included!)

7. “I'm not in charge of that”

Nothing tells your manager you're uninvested in your team louder than this classic “That's not my job“ plug-in. Even if you're “not in charge of that,” you shouldn't throw the person who is under the bus in front of your team. 

What to say instead:

This email phrase is often used when a job that needs to get done hasn't been done yet. So, a better way to say this would be “I can't speak to that, as I wasn't assigned to the project, but maybe [Name] can!” (If you need help declining tasks that are not your responsibility, take a look at these tips on how to politely decline extra work.)

8. “Here's a copy of the project my team and I are working on. I'd love to get your feedback!” 

To put it plainly, you never want to share teamwork with other members of the company without your team's permission. Some documents may contain confidential or incomplete information, and shouldn't be seen by anyone who isn't assigned to working on it. 

What to do instead:

What you should do if you're interested in cross-functional collaboration is talk to your team about who's insight will help improve the project, then make a group agreement to send. For instance, you could say “Hi Team, I believe we can benefit from some outside input in this project, and I'd like to hear your opinions. Who do you think is equipped to collaborate with us?” 

9. “Great work! Next time, you should”

Though positive, this phrase is a pretty back-handed compliment. You're basically telling recipients, “This is great—except for X, Y and Z—so actually, this is just good.” It's better to share with email recipients what was effective about their work and what could be improved for future projects. 

What to say instead:

Here's an example: “What a wonderful proposal! Your tone came across as friendly and assertive, and I found your calls to action especially effective because they made me want to click. Toward the end, you mention X, Y, Z and I was a little unclear about what you meant. Is there any way we can be more specific?” 

In this example, the email sender is outlining the “great” parts about the proposal and letting them know what worked about them. They also use “I” statements (so as not to point a finger at the writer, but the reader) to demonstrate their confusion about a particular section. Then, they end with a question that gives the receiver a clear next step.

10. “I can't stand this place”

Maybe you can't stand your job, or your coworkers, or your company—but that's nothing to mention in a professional piece of writing. Statements such as this one can get in front of the wrong eyes, or easily be forwarded to leadership without your knowing. 

What to say instead:

Nothing—never badmouth the company in an email or message. Air out your dirty laundry outside of the office through words, not in any way that can be directed back to you. Even better, you can escalate your concerns to leadership to get clear about what's not working for you and find solutions to address them, perhaps in a feedback or performance review meeting.

11. “Sorry for this late response”

Saying “Sorry for the late response” isn't necessarily rude or unprofessional, but it's so overused that it can sound insincere—it's become automatic. You don't have to stop using it altogether, but try substituting it with a more thoughtful, less cliché response.

What to say instead:

“Please excuse my delayed response” and “Sorry for not getting back to you sooner” are good replacements to “Sorry for the late response”. You could also add a brief explanation, for example, “Apologies for the delayed response, I was finishing a presentation this past couple of days. Can we schedule a meeting? I'm free on Friday from 11 am to 1 pm. Let me know what works best for you.”

This might also help: 4 Smart Steps to Say Sorry for the Late Response (with Examples!)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you respond to an unprofessional email?

If you're on the receiving end of any one of these phrases, the best way to respond is with professionalism—this means leaving your assumptions and emotions out of it. Respond simply by sticking to the facts and/or asking the sender for more information in applicable cases.

How do you write a passive-aggressive email?

You don't. Passive aggression has no place in the workplace. To send an assertive email that kindly and effectively communicates your point, make a clear ask, set clear deadlines, or offer to follow up with your coworker in person. 

What is a professional clap-back?

Passive aggression creates hostility which can be sensed by the receiver. This leaves room for a “professional clap-back”—that is, an even more cheeky response to a critical statement. An example would be:

Passive-aggressive sender: “As per my last email, we'd really appreciate it if you could get to those before the end of the week—ideally tomorrow.”

Professional clap-backer: “Or, you could send this to the development team as I think this task would be more appropriate for them to complete.”

Notice how the clap-backer basically just said “Now I'm not going to do it,” "That's not my job" and implied “I'm done talking about this” in a sarcastic tone. To avoid a professional clap-back, which is just as discouraged as a passive-aggressive email, opt for clear and polite language with coworkers and colleagues.

Is it unprofessional to email at night?

It's usually OK to email at night these days. Many companies have employees in different time zones, so the usual working hours are less restrictive. However, if it's very late, it might seem like you struggle with time management and prioritization. Also, if you're a manager, your employees may feel pressured to work extra hours too. So, if it's not urgent, consider scheduling your emails to be automatically sent in the morning.

What is considered an unprofessional email?

Several things can make an email look unprofessional. For example, typos, grammatical errors, too many exclamation points, using colors and cursive fonts, informal language, and rude phrasing like “As per my last email” or “I'm reattaching for convenience.”

How to address unprofessional emails?

Usually, it's best not to respond in the same way. Even if you're tempted to give the person a taste of their own medicine, it could backfire and make things harder for you. Instead, just answer their questions professionally. If you feel like the person is constantly hostile and creating a toxic work environment, consider talking with HR.

What is considered a rude email?

A rude email often has passive-aggressive language or typical impersonal phrases like “To whom it may concern” or “As per my last email.” At work, an email can also be considered rude if it makes excessive and unexpected demands or crosses the line with insensitive jokes or overly informal language.