Why Does It Feel So Wrong To Be Human At Work?

Ep 6 | Why Does It Feel So Wrong To Reply-All?

Episode Summary

Have you ever felt like you couldn’t reply to a group email, even though you had something important or encouraging to say? In this episode, we’ll talk about why we withhold participating in these types of conversations and how the “unwritten rules” of office etiquette impact our communication styles.

Episode Notes

Season 1, Episode 6: Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Reply All?

Episode Description:

“Please stop replying all!”

We’ve all been there—caught in a reply-all email spiral that devolves into chaos, memes, and all-caps shouting. But why does a seemingly harmless function like "Reply All" evoke such strong emotions?

In this fun and thought-provoking episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee unpack the infamous reply-all storm—and use it as a springboard to explore the bigger problem of digital communication at work.

Together, they explore:

• The social psychology behind reply-all behavior
• Real-life corporate “reply-allpocalypses” (like the one at Reuters that sent 23 million emails)
• When and why email fails us as a channel
• The emotional undercurrent of email overload, road rage, and digital etiquette
• The need for channel strategy and communication “combo meals”
• Why leaders must model vulnerability and clarity in their messaging
• How workplace communication has (and hasn’t) evolved since the pandemic

From hilarious horror stories to serious tips about psychological safety and leadership communication, this episode will change how you think about emails—and how you send them.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Opening: Ever been caught in a reply-all nightmare?
• 04:00 – Real-life reply-all meltdown stories from the hosts
• 10:00 – Why people hit “Reply All”—and why it escalates
• 15:00 – Email rage, road rage, and the social contagion of frustration
• 20:00 – What email is (and isn’t) good for
• 25:00 – Inbox anxiety, digital clutter, and the mental toll
• 30:00 – History of reply-all storms (Reuters, 2015, UC Berkeley 1987)
• 35:00 – Communication channel strategy: Why it matters
• 40:00 – Why “email for everything” is a broken system
• 45:00 – Channel etiquette and psychological safety
• 50:00 – How leaders can set the tone for better communication
• 55:00 – Culture, vulnerability, and evolving digital norms
• 01:05:00 – Communication combo meals and digital alignment
• 01:10:00 – Final thoughts: Let’s not wait for the next communication crisis

Books & Resources:

Gallagher’s State of the Sector 2023 Report – Internal Comms Trends

Reuters #ReplyAllGate (2015)

Local Wisdom – Communication Combo Meals Template

Mic-Drop Moments:

“A reply-all storm is the road rage of digital work.”

“Email is a tool—not a conversation.”

“Great leaders don’t just communicate more. They communicate better.”

Connect with Us:

Pinaki Kathiari – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom

Chris Lee – LinkedIn | Gallagher Communication

Special Thanks:

Huge thanks to our listeners for being part of the conversation. Shoutout to Local Wisdom for building tools like Communication Combo Meals to help teams navigate the chaos, and to Gallagher for leading the charge in internal comms research.

We Want to Hear from You:

When was the last time you were caught in a reply-all disaster? Did you reply… or ride it out? Drop your story on LinkedIn, TikTok, or send us a note at whydoesitfeelsowrong@localwisdom.com.

Visit whydoesitfeelsowrong.com for more conversations on making work feel right.