Category: 
March 10, 2009a service offered by a friend, which ostensibly is helpful for many of the people who work here? I control the email list and someone requested that I send out this advertisement. I’m not sure it’s appropriate, even if some people find the service useful.
I’m being cryptic b/c i don’t want real life people to guess who i am.
for example: coworker tells me that his friend offers home painting services for cheap and can i please email everyone in the company to let them know.
Horaayy..there are 9 comment(s) for me so far ;)
No, not only is that not appropriate, you could also get in trouble at work. CYA Method, my friend!
You need to ask your supervisor or manager. It is grounds for being fired where I work. It is grounds for being fired on a federal level to use work computers for personal use.
don’t do it……………..
If the appropriate people in your company have approved your use of the company list in advance, then yes it is ok.
If you have not done so already, I would submit this in front of either your supervisor or HR and await there approval. They may ask you to run it by someone else to be sure.
When you have approval from some that is able to make the decision, send the emails.
If you have no approval, don’t send anything.
It depends on the listserv and what it’s used for. If it’s strictly a professional listserv, definitely do not send it out.
We have a professional listserv, and then a separate one where people can post mostly whatever they want to, including references for doctors, painters, etc.
there should be guidelines already in place for your listserv. Find them, read them, follow them.
No, it is not appropriate and may even be illegal. I suggest you mention the potential illegality of the situation to this person with a tone of concern “I really don’t want you to get in trouble, but I’m sure this is against company policy…” It would be sad to see somebody lose their job over this.
Absolutely not! Company information is not to be used for solicitation purposes. If you want to tell your co-workers about a certain product than that’s fine or ask them for their personal email then that’s ok to. Even thou your responsible for keeping track of the business email list you don’t own the information. Being in management if I was to find out that someone with in my company disclosed our emails to a 3rd party they would be terminated on the spot. Don’t do it!!!!
NEVER.
Put up a sign in your breakroom or kitchen and let people know about the service. Do not mix your personal life and your business life via email. I would be super ticked if someone did that to me.
Absolutely NOT.
People are spammed at all turns these days. Years ago someone in my company sent out an e-mail to everyone in the area asking about a non-work activity and everyone started to ‘reply all’. At first, they were responses to the e-mail itself, but then it became responses about all the responses. It mushroomed.
Weeks later, the e-mails trickled out, but it’s something that should never have happened.
You, as listmum, have a responsibility to moderate the list. That means keeping people’s classified ads and other off topic spam off it. Because it’s a work related one, it will be doubly unappreciated, and may cost you professionally.