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MailSuite has launched its Passive-Aggressive Emails Fixer, a Chrome extension designed to identify and replace passive-aggressive phrases in work emails with constructive alternatives. The tool aims to foster healthier workplace communication by eliminating one of the most common barriers to constructive dialogue: veiled snark.
The Challenge of Passive-Aggressive Communication
Passive-aggressive language has long plagued workplace emails, often disguising frustration or disapproval behind overly polite phrasing. Common expressions like “As you are, no doubt, aware…” or “Respectfully…” can create tension, erode trust, and hinder collaboration.
MailSuite Product Manager Yuka Kato explained the issue: “Out-and-out rudeness is discouraged in the workplace, and communication and conflict resolution training are an afterthought for many companies. And so, it has become an automatic response to disguise disagreement or disapproval with lukewarm niceties.”
Passive-aggressive communication is often unintentional, with senders unaware of how their language may be perceived. MailSuite’s new tool is designed to help users recognize and replace such phrases with more transparent and constructive alternatives.
Survey Findings: Passive-Aggressive Emails Are Prevalent
A MailSuite survey of 2,000 Americans revealed the widespread nature of passive-aggressive workplace communication:
- Nearly 48% of workers received passive-aggressive emails in 2024.
- Over 86% of these emails originated from within the recipient’s own company.
- Male workers (38.41%) were slightly more likely than female workers (32.35%) to report receiving such emails from colleagues.
- Millennials (24.83%) and Gen Z (24.73%) were more likely than older generations to experience passive-aggressive messages from clients.
These findings underscored the need for tools to address the issue and prompted the development of MailSuite’s extension.
How the Passive-Aggressive Emails Fixer Works
MailSuite’s extension integrates directly into users’ email interfaces, highlighting potentially problematic phrases as they compose messages. Users can click on the flagged phrase to see and select a more constructive alternative suggested by the tool.
To install the extension:
- Visit the Chrome Web Store and search for “Passive-Aggressive Emails Fixer.”
- Add the extension to Chrome and enable it in the browser’s settings.
- Refresh the email tab, and the tool will automatically scan email drafts for passive-aggressive phrases.
Common Phrases to Avoid and Replace
The Passive-Aggressive Emails Fixer identifies frequently used phrases that may create workplace tension. For example:
- Instead of “If that’s what you want to do…” the tool suggests a direct alternative like, “What do you think of [alternative] instead?”
The goal is to help users express disagreement or alternative ideas without unnecessary undertones, fostering clearer and more constructive communication.
Check out this infographic that helps explain passive aggression in emails:
Images: MailSuite
