How to Write an Email or Letter to Your Boss

Co-authored by Amber Rosenberg, PCC and Amber Crain

Last Updated: November 27, 2022 References

Writing to your boss can be a little daunting! You know it's important to write emails and letters in a clear, professional way, but what exactly does that entail? Don't worry, we can help you out with this! We've researched the topic thoroughly so we could answer your most pressing questions about communicating with your boss.

Question 1 of 7:

How do you address your boss in a letter or email?

Use a professional salutation followed by your boss’s name. Professional salutations include “Hi,” “Hello,” and “Dear.” Follow that with the name that you normally use to address your boss. If you’re on a first name basis with your boss, it’s fine to use that. Otherwise, use something formal like “Doctor Bell” or “Mr. Rebillet.” Then, place a comma after your boss’s name to complete the salutation.^{[1]
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- For example, “Hi Donna,” “Dear Mr. Wexler,” or “Hello Robert,” are professional ways to address your boss.
- Avoid informal salutations like “Hey,” “Hiya,” and “Yo.”
- Don’t use a shortened version of your boss’s first name or a nickname.

Question 2 of 7:

What do you put in the subject line of an email?

Use a specific and concise description of your email's purpose. Your boss probably has a lot of emails to get through! Do them a favor and make the reason for your email extremely clear in the subject line. Don’t worry about using a complete sentence or punctuation for this. Examples of good subject lines include:^{[2]
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- "Meeting date changed," "Quick question about the Barker project," “New hires for your review,” or "Schedule concerns for this week.”
- Make sure your email content matches your subject line.

Question 3 of 7:

How do you write a professional email or letter to your boss?

1
Use a neutral tone even if you’re upset or excited. Lashing out in an email always comes off as unprofessional. If you’re angry about something, give yourself a few minutes to calm down before you write the email. Aim for a neutral, understated, and reasonable tone.^{[3]
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- For example, “This is the third time this has happened and I'm sick of it! Something has to be done about this immediately or our entire staff is going to walk out,” sounds emotional and demanding. Try something neutral like, “The department has dealt with this problem on numerous occasions. Our employees have made it clear to me that they’re stressed out.”
- Avoid using lots of exclamation points since that can seem childish or immature.
2
Be concise but always use full sentences. Your boss gets tons of emails every day and the last thing you want is for yours to be skipped over. The more concise and to-the-point your language is, the better! Skip shorthand, emojis, and slang, though. Always use complete, well-written sentences to sound professional.^{[4]
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- Avoid shortcut words/phrases like “4 u” and “2day.” Don't add smileys at the end of your sentences or use slang abbreviations like "lol" or "wtf."
- If you’re replying to your boss's email, avoid one-word responses like "Yeah" or "Sure" since that can sound a bit rude.
3
Double-check the spelling and grammar before you hit send. Nothing says “unprofessional” like spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors in an email. Once you've eliminated any glaring errors, scan the email once more for awkward language and tidy up any passages that seem wordy or confusing.^{[5]
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- Most email services offer spellcheck tools; if yours doesn’t, you can always copy/paste the content of your email into MS Word, WordPad, or TextEdit and check it that way.

Question 4 of 7:

How do you email your boss about a problem or concern?

1
Describe the problem in a clear, direct way. It’s best to get right to the point, but you don’t need to launch into nitty-gritty details. Just give your boss an overview of the general problem. If the problem is affecting your work in some way, briefly explain how.^{[6]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
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- For example, “Our customers have been complaining about the website going down almost every day. Everyone in IT is getting stressed out dealing with calls because this is an issue they can’t fix.”
2
Provide at least one solution to the problem. When you bring a problem to your boss, it’s important to propose a solution. If you’ve already tried to solve the problem on your own and it didn’t work, briefly explain what you did and why it didn’t work. Then, describe your solution in clear and specific terms.^{[7]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- For example, “I’ve looked into the issue and it's happening because our server gets overloaded during high-traffic hours. There are a few ways we can solve this, but I think the best move is to find a more reliable server host. I’ve already pinpointed a few alternative host providers in our price range.”
3
Discuss the benefits of your solution. This is especially helpful if your solution is going to cost your boss time or money. Backing up your solution with a few concrete examples will give your boss some peace of mind. A few reassurances will probably get you a faster reply, as well.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- You might say, “Since the website is down during high-traffic hours, we’re losing business. If we switch to a more reliable server host, we’ll see a spike in revenue immediately and IT call volume will go down."

Question 5 of 7:

How do you politely ask your boss for something?

1
State your question within the first two sentences of your email. The last thing you want is for your boss to have to dig through several paragraphs to figure out what you’re asking for! You don’t want to be too abrupt, but your boss will appreciate it if you get to the point quickly.^{[9]
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Phrase it like a request not a demand. State the question briefly using clear, polite language. Avoid starting the question with “Can you” or “Will you” since those phrases can feel pushy. Try something more respectful like, “Could you” or “Would it be possible.”^{[10]
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- For example, if you want an advance on your paycheck, don’t write, “Can you give me my paycheck early?” Try something like, “Would it be possible for me to get my paycheck a few days early? I’ve had an emergency come up.”
- If you need time off for a funeral, don't write something vague like, "Can you give me Friday off?" Include specifics like, "There's a funeral I'd really like to attend on Friday at 2pm. Would it be possible for me to take that afternoon off?"
3
Make your request situational and time-bound. It’s easier for your boss to respond to your question if they know exactly what you’re asking for and when you need it by. Be as straightforward as possible while maintaining your polite tone. Briefly explain your situation and provide a basic timeline.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- For example, if you need a deadline extended, you might write, “This is really rare for me, but I’ve had a family emergency this week and I won’t have that article on your desk by tomorrow. Would it be okay if I turned it in by Friday at 5pm?”
- If you're requesting time off, try something like, "I have a minor surgery scheduled in 2 weeks. Would it be possible for me to take off Monday through Wednesday on the week of April 3rd?"
- In general, avoid asking your boss to write you a letter of reference for a new job, because if you don't get the new position, your boss will feel like you're not committed to the company. However, if you find out you're being laid off, it's appropriate to ask them to act as a reference.^{[12]
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  Expert Source
  
  Amber Rosenberg, PCC
  Life Coach
  Expert Interview. 26 February 2019.}

Question 6 of 7:

How do you email your boss to say thank you?

Be genuine but concise. Even if you're extremely grateful, avoid getting overly emotional or expressive when you thank your boss via email. Aim for a few well-written sentences that express your thanks in a sincere and authentic way.^{[13]
X
Research source} For example:
- "I'm reaching out to say thank you for supporting my ideas this year, especially the Wadlow project. Our department faced some unique challenges during that time and I truly appreciate the feedback and support you provided."
- "I want to thank you for being flexible with my work schedule when I was dealing with my father's health crisis last month. You allowed me to work from home so I could be near my dad during his final days and it meant a lot to me."

Question 7 of 7:

What do you do if you don't hear back from your boss?

1
Call your boss or drop by their office if it's something urgent. If your email included an urgent, time-bound request and your boss never replied, don't bother sending a followup. Your boss missed your original email and that could happen again. Since you're running out of time, just call your boss or head down to their office for a quick chat.^{[14]
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- For example, if you emailed your boss about taking medical leave next week and you haven't heard back, a quick call or drop-in is totally acceptable.
2
Send a polite followup email reiterating what you need. If your boss hasn't replied to your non-urgent email after a week, they probably just missed it somehow. Send a followup email that reiterates exactly what you need at the beginning of the email. Be sure to use a neutral and professional tone, even if you're a little frustrated.^{[15]
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- For example: "Hi Steve! I'm still waiting for your feedback on the attached expense report. Accounting needs the report by Friday and I'd like you to take a look at the report before I sign off on it. Thanks in advance!"
3
Make the subject line specific and include a call to action. The best way to ensure your boss sees your followup email is to write a clear and specific subject line. You want your boss to know exactly what you need from them and when just by skimming it.^{[16]
X
Research source} Good examples include:
- "Signature needed on attached docs by Tuesday," "Time-off request for next week," "Attached budget needs approval by Friday," and "New hire resumes for Tuesday's interviews."

Community Q&A

Question

Should I drop-in after sending the email if it's not time for a follow-up?

WikiThat

Community Answer

You can as an option. If it's an emergency, you might want to call in or talk to your boss in person straight away. If you sent the email, at least wait a few hours before dropping in.