It’s not easy working with persistent back pain. Maybe you need time to tend to your health, or you’d like to inform your boss so they can help you identify the best possible solution to the problem.
We’ve put together some templates to help you write an email to your boss about any back pains you may be having. Additionally, we’ve also included some tips to help you whenever you need to email your manager.
Tips For Emailing Your Boss
While tools like Slack and Teams are leveraged for easier communication across organizations worldwide, emails continue to be used in these organizations, especially when communicating with a supervisor over formal correspondence.
But unlike sending emails to coworkers where you can be informal and not worry about mistakes, you should be careful when writing to your Boss. Let’s look at a few things to keep in mind.
Clear Reasons
Make sure you convey the problem in your email and include any possible solutions you believe would help alleviate the issue. You can also ask for their suggestions, if necessary.
Whatever you write in your email, you should make sure they understand the impact the back pain may be having on you and your productivity at the workplace.
Keep in mind that your company needs you to be productive. If you need some form of ergonomic office equipment to help solve the problem, make sure you include it in your email.
Clear Subject Line
While you would not be able to include all relevant information in the subject line of the email, it should present the general purpose of the email within a few words.
This helps your boss or supervisor locate the email, understand the possible content even before reading the full message and finally ascertain the importance and urgency of the email.
After all, your boss would most likely have a busy schedule. A clear subject line would help them identify the urgency of the email especially when they have a boatload of work to get done.
Examples:
Request For Ergonomic Office Equipment
Use Proper Name
Coming down to the body of the email, you should identify the name your boss wishes for you or the general employee body to call them.
If they prefer to be addressed by their first names, you should address them as such. On the other hand, if you aren’t sure how they want to be addressed, you can either ask your colleagues or simply use your boss’ surname.
Keep in mind your workplace culture at this point. Some workplaces encourage informal communication between all members of the organization.
For informal workplaces, you start with:
Good {{morning/afternoon/evening}} {{Boss’ firstname}}
Hi {{Boss’ firstname}}
In the case of a very formal workplace where you aren’t sure of the best way to address your boss, you can simply start with:
Dear {{Mr. /Mrs /Ms. Surname}}
Hello {{Mr. /Mrs /Ms. Surname}}
Set Tone
Maybe something happened at the workplace that you didn’t like or there’s something you find annoying. You should always mind your tone in your professional emails.
It doesn’t matter whether the company’s doing something you’re unhappy with, you should always mind the tone of your communication. If you sound angry, your Boss is less likely to mind your request or even finish reading your email.
Use Work Email
Refrain from contacting your boss through your personal email. Most organizations implement some form of spam filter that may flag personal emails as spam.
The last thing anyone wants is to send an urgent message to their boss only to find out days later that they never got the email. Emails that come through the company emails are whitelisted ensuring that your boss receives them inside their inbox.
This is why most organizations provide their employees with company emails for communication within the company as well as correspondence with external companies.
Keep It Concise
Your boss probably receives loads of emails daily. The last thing they want to do is to spend precious time reading through a long email to determine its content.
No matter how important your email may be, your boss is not likely to spend 30 minutes trying to understand its content. It’s advisable to use short and clear wording to easily convey the content of your message.
Proofread
No one likes reading terrible grammar, especially in a professional setting. It’s advisable to proofread your email to identify any grammatical errors before sending it to your boss.
Tools like Grammarly are readily available to help identify errors in your writing. Keep in mind that these tools aren’t perfect. So manually proofreading your email can further enhance your message.
On the other hand, poor grammar could give your boss some laughs. But keep in mind that others are bound to join in.
Easy To Understand
Your boss most likely receives tens or even hundreds of emails daily, especially in the case of larger organizations. Ensure that your email is easy to understand within the shortest amount of time.
To determine this, you can ask a colleague or friend to skim through the email to test whether it’s easy to understand and adequately presents the necessary information.
End Formally
At this point, you can thank your boss for taking the time to review your request and then reiterate any relevant information before signing off.
Example:
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Signature
Official emails to your boss should be signed off with your official signature which includes your full name, job title, department if applicable, and contact details when available.
This can be easy if you’ve already created your signature template for your company email. The system would automatically include your signature in every email.
If you haven’t created a signature template for your email, you should manually include this in your email to your boss.
It can be something like this:
Sincerely,
{{Fullname}}
{{Department if applicable}}
{{Job role/title}}
{{Contact details (optional)}}
Sample Emails To Boss About Back Pain
Template 1: Requesting Meeting
Email Subject
Request For A Meeting To Discuss Back Pain
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I am writing to request a meeting with you to discuss an issue that has been affecting my productivity and overall well-being. I have been experiencing back pain for some time now, and it has been increasingly difficult to manage while working.
As a result, I would like to discuss some possible solutions with you to help alleviate this pain and improve my work performance. Please let me know if you are available to meet at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 2: Requesting Ergonomic Equipment
Email Subject
Request For Ergonomic Office Equipment
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I am writing to request ergonomic office equipment that could help me manage my back pain while working. I have been experiencing discomfort due to prolonged sitting and repetitive tasks that require me to be at my desk for extended periods.
As a result, I believe that ergonomic office equipment such as a chair, desk, or keyboard can help me work more comfortably and with greater productivity.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 3: Requesting Change In Duties
Email Subject
Request For A Temporary Change In Job Duties
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I am writing to request a temporary change in my job duties due to back pain that I have been experiencing lately. The pain is affecting my ability to perform certain tasks, and I believe that a temporary change in my job duties could help alleviate the discomfort and allow me to remain productive.
I am willing to discuss possible solutions with you and work together to find a solution that works for both of us.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 4: Requesting Work From Home
Email Subject
Request For Flexible Work Arrangements
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I am writing to request flexible work arrangements due to back pain that I have been experiencing. I believe that by working remotely or with a flexible schedule, I could better manage my back pain and maintain my productivity.
I am willing to discuss possible solutions with you and work together to find a solution that works for both of us.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 5: Requesting Leave To Treat Back Pain
Email Subject
Request For A Leave Of Absence
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I am writing to request a leave of absence due to back pain that I have been experiencing. The pain has been increasingly difficult to manage while working, and I believe that taking time off to focus on my health and recovery is necessary.
I am willing to provide a doctor's note or any other necessary documentation to support my request.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}
