Despite many articles written on how to improve email habits, a notable absence remains when it comes to the blind carbon copy (BCC). The BCC, or the blind carbon copy, is an efficient and convenient strategy to deliver messages to large groups, avoid “Reply All” emails that clutter the inbox, and ensure confidentiality of recipients. When used optimally, the BCC respects the time, inbox, and the identities of email recipients. More often, however, the BCC is misunderstood, underused, and underappreciated—largely from a lack of comprehending the versatility of its capabilities.

We believe in kind and respectful workplace communication, and yet, we’ve seen people use the BCC to harm others, e.g., by secretly putting supervisors or HR in the BCC line. We want to gently push back on that application. This nefarious use has given the BCC an unfortunately negative reputation. Hiding recipients is rarely fair, honest, or positive for your professional reputation. We have seen this practice backfire. For example, if the person in BCC clicks “Reply All,” they enter the discussion and reveal to anyone on the To: and CC: lines that they were hidden.

Once and for all, it’s time to resolve the hazy understanding many hold related to the BCC. Here we describe four productive ways to employ the BCC to improve your email etiquette.

1. When you want to avoid the “Reply All” response: Each of us has sent an email to 10, 20, 30, or more people and experienced the disastrous downpour of responses. We want you to stop the storm before it starts. When you email a sizable group, drop everyone to the BCC line. At the same time, let everyone know who is BCC’d (e.g., type “Dear Faculty, Residents, PAs:” or “Attention Residents:” as the email greeting). When you’re in the BCC line, you cannot see or message anyone else in the BCC line. This way, everyone receives the message, yet no one can respond to the whole group. If a person in BCC presses “Reply,” the new message goes to the original sender. If a BCC’d person presses “Reply All,” the message will go to anyone on the To: and CC: lines.
   • Scenario: There is a promotion in your department, and you want to share the good news. Put the person winning the award or getting the promotion in the To line and put the team in the BCC line. When someone presses “Reply All,” it goes to you and the award winner only.
2. When you need to send a sensitive email to multiple people: You might have to send an email that contains sensitive information to more than one person. Given the need to protect privacy, listing people individually on the To: or CC: lines is not

   possible. Save yourself from sending many individual emails one at a time, and drop everyone to the BCC line.

   • Scenario: Multiple individuals have been selected for coaching based on their performance review. You draft a generic, yet compassionate, email to notify the entire group. Using the BCC allows you to be efficient and respect their privacy. Remind people that they can reach out to you directly for questions or to schedule a meeting. If they accidentally hit “Reply All,” the message goes to you only.
3. When you are introduced to someone new: When you are introduced to someone via email, you want to thank the person making the introduction. We suggest you generously remove them from the thread and continue the conversation with your new contact. Now, the person making the introduction can exit after the initial emails and be spared further inbox clutter.
   • Scenario: A faculty member introduces you via email to a new fellow. When you respond, place the faculty member in the BCC line, thank them, and continue the conversation with the fellow. Future emails between the fellow and you will not include the faculty.
4. When you want an email you send to others to appear in your inbox: Consider the scenario where you are writing an email of high importance and you want to track the message for yourself. Perhaps there is an action item you assigned to yourself. Add your email address to the BCC line and send the email to the group. The message arrives at the top of your inbox for record keeping.
   • Scenario: You are organizing a lecture and want to remind yourself to follow up with the speaker if they do not respond in 48 hours. Add your name to the BCC, and the email goes to the recipient and to your inbox.

The BCC used to elude us too; however, this is a powerful friend, not a foe. It can be challenging to integrate change when your workplace culture doesn’t value the BCC. Start with the small action of using the BCC with your immediate team members until everyone gets used to it. Your email communications will carry a bigger, more polished communication impact for everyone.

Dr. Landry is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Lewiss is a professor of emergency medicine at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.