Dear Urban Diplomat: should I report my colleague’s religious email signatures to HR?
Dear Urban Diplomat, One of my co-workers signs all her emails “God Bless.” I find it irritating and think it’s unprofessional to push one’s religion at work. Should I report her to HR? —God Forbid, DON MILLS
I agree that pious sign-offs of all kinds—from “Namaste” to “Until the Rapture”—are bound to alienate someone and are therefore best avoided. But is this woman really “pushing” her religion on you with an email signature? It’s annoying but not offensive, and if you take her to HR simply because she’s irritating, you’d also have to report inspirational quote guy, the cocky intern who signs off with “Peace Out, Chad,” and the woman whose email signature includes an animated GIF of her cat swatting a ball of yarn. Extract the relevant information from the message, hit the delete button and focus your death ray on a more deserving target—like the colleague who brags about his erotic conquests at the water cooler.
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