It’s not uncommon for someone on a project to want to work on a different one. Reasons could differ depending on the individual. Maybe the other role is best suited to your unique skills or they need your expertise.
Whatever the case, you may need to reach out to your supervisor or manager in extreme cases. This is a sensitive matter so it’s not surprising if you’re concerned about how to structure this email.
Luckily, we’ve got you covered as this article will provide some tips to help you write such emails as well as some templates that you can simply modify for the purpose.
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.
Supervisor
If the manager isn’t your direct supervisor, you should approach the supervisor first to avoid any challenges. Workplaces have a hierarchy that should be respected.
Once you’ve explained your request to your supervisor, they can better advise you on the best way forward. Most likely they would be the ones to present your request to the manager.
Obviously, you may not have a choice but to approach the manager in case the manager is your direct supervisor.
Clear Reasons
Let the manager know which project you’re currently working on and the one you’re requesting to join. Explain why you want to leave the current project and your reasons for choosing the second project.
Be clear about this, as failure to do so could possibly end up getting you into trouble or worst-case scenario, fired.
Offer Solution
If leaving the current project will have some form of impact on the project, you should recommend a strategy to tackle your responsibilities.
Depending on the complexity of the situation, it may be advisable to request a meeting instead. There, you can present any suggestions you may have to make up for leaving your current project.
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 to Join {{Project title}}
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:
Thanks for your understanding and support
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 Manager For Project Change
Template 1: Release From Project – Requesting Meeting
Email Subject
Request for Release from Project
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I would like to request to be released from the {{Current project title}} to which I’ve been assigned since {{Date}} and to be reassigned to {{New project}}.
I’ve enjoyed working on my current project but I would like to be assigned to the {{New project}} project because {{Reasons}}.
I’ve spoken with the supervisor for the {{New project}} project who has expressed interest in the skillset and experience I would bring to the project. Would it be possible to meet and discuss this further?
Thank you for your time and understanding.
Best regards,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 2: Request for Release from Project
Email Subject
Request for Release from Project
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I would like to request to be released from the {{Current project title}} to which I’ve been assigned since {{Date}} and to be reassigned to {{New project}}.
As you may know, the {{New project}} aligns more closely with my expertise and experience. As a result, I believe that the company’s interest would be better served if I can leverage my expertise on the project.
I understand that this may leave a gap in my current project but I’m dedicated to completing my assigned tasks to avoid any negative impact on the project.
Additionally, I would be happy to provide any additional support to ensure that the project goals are met according to the established timeline.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
Best regards
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 3: Request for Release from Project
Email Subject
Request for Release from Project
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request a transfer from my current {{Current project title}} to {{New project}} project. I believe that working on the {{New project}} would enable me to develop professionally and better contribute to the company.
I've enjoyed working on {{Current project title}} project but I believe the {{New project}} project presents a great opportunity for professional growth. I've taken a thorough look at the project and I feel confident that my skills and expertise align well with the role's responsibilities.
Please let me know if this is feasible and any necessary steps to facilitate the transfer process. I understand that this may leave a gap in my current project but I’m dedicated to completing my assigned tasks to avoid any negative impact on the project.
Thank you for your time and understanding. I look forward to hearing back from you soon.
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}
