b'(conti nued from page 5) 3. Realistic expectations. It is importantlack of clarity during a dispute and can lead to ineffec-employees have realistic, clear expectations from ative notice of a claim, create ambiguity regarding the leader. Establish a clear framework for what isclaim being raised and undermine the purpose of the expected and ensure employees have amessage you want to send. comprehensive understanding of their roles andDo not be self-critical in email communications. standards of behavior. Be sure workloads areYou also should avoid being critical of your company realistic to prevent burnout and foster a healthyin emails. Those emails could come back to haunt you work-life balance. You also should try toif there is a claim that results in arbitration or litiga-accommodate different working styles andtion. personal circumstances, offering flexibility thatKeep the email content related to a single pro-allows employees to give their best efforts.ject. If you are involved with multiple projects with the recipient, keep an individual email related to an individual project as much as possible to eliminate confusion related to project instructions. Be vigilant in maintaining attorney-client privi-lege. If you are communicating with an attorney repre-senting your company during the project, be careful about who you involve in those conversations. If you bring in a third party, attorney-client privilege can be Proper email communication fordestroyed. construction projectsIf it is important, put it in a letter. If the message you are sending is critical to the project or a claim you are Email often is the most common form ofmaking regarding a project, put the message in a letter. communication during a construction project andYou still can send the letter via email, but a written let-can be a great way to document issues that ariseter signed by the sender and sent by email will be taken during the project. However, communications viamore seriously than an informal email message. Note email sometimes can become more informal andyour contract may require certain notices be provided used less carefully as a project progresses.by means other than email, such as certified mail or Whether a project manager is communicating withpersonal delivery, so be sure you know what your con-an owner or a subcontractor is communicating withtract requires before you submit crucial messages via a supplier, McDonald Hopkins shares simpleemail. guidelines you should consider when communicating via email during a construction project. Include a clear, direct subject line. The subject line should include the name of the project, which can help you track messages internally if you need them later. It also can contain other identifying words related to the message, such as Delay Claim or Schedule Update. Keep it professional. Avoid using foul language, sarcasm or off-color humor. If you would not say it in a letter, do not say it in an email. Additionally, if you would not want to read the contents of your email in a room full of strangers (such as in a courtroom), find another way to make your point. Stick to the facts. Providing only the facts in your email communications can help you avoid having your individual feelings or perceptions misconstrued if there is a future dispute. Avoid 8'