Best. Monday. Ever.

[Lexophile]

I work for a global environmental engineering firm.  This morning, one of the  team leaders sent a mass email out to the entire division (~5000 people) asking for help solving a very specific problem with a broken lid on a test well.

He apparently got several positive responses because suddenly the whole division started receiving emails detailing the conversation. All the respondents were hitting "Reply All."

Of course, then people started politely requesting that their names be removed from the distribution list, but THEY were all using Reply All too. Soon everyone in the division had a string of emails flying back and forth that were only relevant to maybe five people.

Finally, I sent out an email saying that if we all stop replying to all, the emails would go away.

I then got something like 25 emails directly from people telling me I am awesome.

Best Monday Ever.

[MrTango]

Ugh...

This is why I nearly always use the BCC function when it comes to mailing lists.  That way, even if they hit reply-all, the response only comes back to me.

[Lexophile]

Well, and it just keeps getting worse. The CEO of the company is on the list and people are still sending emails back and forth thinking it's funny. Some guy just sent one saying "Go Bruins!"

[cwm]

We get that all the time. When promotions are announced, despite the email announcing the promotion saying to email X directly to offer your congratulations, it's ignored and everyone hits Reply All for the whole company.

There's also lots of announcements that go out to the sales team that get the Reply All treatment. I'm on that list despite not being a salesperson (I'm a sales assistant, though I do more admin work than sales work), but those are generally more laid back because even the managers have been known to join in the banter. There are some days I'll even forward those to my mom (in another department at the same company) just so she's reminded of the weird people we work with.

[daen]

I'm with MrTango - I have to send out all-office announcements from time to time, and bcc is my friend.

It becomes a lifesaver when I send out an all-office that requires a reply. 

[PeterM]

Well, and it just keeps getting worse. The CEO of the company is on the list and people are still sending emails back and forth thinking it's funny. Some guy just sent one saying "Go Bruins!"

You should see if you can get a "Tastes Great!" vs. "Less Filling!" thing going. Or possibly "Wheat Chex!" vs. "Rice Chex!" but then someone will insist on throwing in "Corn Chex!" and force you to pummel him.