When written words punch down

Illustration of a frustrated office professional next to an incoming email, symbolizing passive-aggressive workplace communication.

What this article covers

“Per my last email” is not a sentence. It is a put-down.

Written communication has a tone problem. We see it in the same phrases, over and over:

  • “As I mentioned before.”
  • “As previously stated.”
  • “Just a gentle reminder.”
  • “To reiterate.”

They sound professional. They are not. Every one implies the reader missed something, forgot something, or failed, before the sender bothered to check.

Professional respect isn’t a luxury. It is the bare minimum required to do business.

The numbers

36%
of Canadian workers identify unprofessional communication as a toxic workplace behaviour
Express Employment/Harris Poll, Canada, 2024
29%
of Canadian job seekers say colleagues are less collaborative than three years ago
Express Employment/Harris Poll, Canada, 2024
28%
say colleagues are more confrontational than three years ago
Express Employment/Harris Poll, Canada, 2024
1 in 5
Canadian workers say trust between employees and employers has declined since the pandemic
Preply/Canadian HR Reporter, 2023

Decoding the coded language

These phrases do not communicate a problem. They perform one. The reader has to decode the sender’s mood instead of acting on clear information. That wastes time and adds friction where there should be none.

The pattern is consistent. When communication becomes confrontational, it rarely happens directly. It gets embedded in language that sounds measured while delivering a verdict: you should have known this already.

Why this is an accessibility issue

Coded condescension is not just unprofessional. It undermines clear communication standards.

In October 2025, Accessibility Standards Canada published a CAN-ASC-3.1:2025, Canada’s first national plain language standard. It states that clear, direct communication is a fundamental accessibility requirement. To meet the standard, a reader must be able to find what they need, understand it, and use it without confusion.

Phrases like “per my last email” fail that test. They introduce unnecessary cognitive friction. They don’t help the reader identify the next step. They force the reader to decode a reprimand instead.

What to write instead:

  • Missed deadline: “This was due Tuesday. When can I expect it?”
  • No update available: “I do not have an answer from the client yet. I will follow up with you by Thursday.”
  • Needs revision: “This needs another pass. Please focus on [Specific Element].”

The record stays

What you write stays in an inbox, a chat history, or a performance review. The workplace is more stressed, more remote, and more reliant on text than it was five years ago. That is not changing.

What can change is the decision, made before hitting send, about whether your words are serving the reader or punishing them for making you repeat yourself.

Those are two different things. Only one belongs in a professional message.