As an employee, fulfilling your obligations is your top priority, as it’s why you were hired. However, tasks may sometimes become overwhelming, making it difficult to complete them, and you may need to ask your boss for help. Email is a more official way to do this, and here are samples to aid you.
Sample 1: Email to Your Boss Asking for Help
Asking for help is not unlawful in the workplace. When you do, ensure to keep it simple and polite, like in the sample below.
Suggested Subject: Request for Assistance
Hello Andrew,
Admittedly, I’m feeling stuck on the proposal I have to prepare for the Johnsons. So far, I’ve tried to write them in accordance with our past proposals and nothing, but I’m still not making the desired progress I was hoping for.
We’re offering a unique set of services to Johnson’s, and frankly speaking, I’m not entirely sure how to draft the proposal to match these services.
This is why I’m coming clean and asking for your help as you’re more hands-on with the services we’re trying to render to them.
If you’re not too busy, do you have time for us to discuss this over coffee?
Thanks,
Tori Bloom
Sample 2: Email to Your Boss Asking for Help
Don’t spend time writing plenty of unnecessary explanations when asking for help from your superior. Go straight to the point and never jettison politeness.
Suggested Subject: Assisstance needed
Dear Jude,
I hope you’re having a great day.
I’m emailing you today to ask for your help on a pitch deck I’m preparing. I’ve tried looking at samples from past pitch decks to understand better how to go about this, but I haven’t made much headway.
I’ve collected all the required information from the head of marketing. All I need is help to properly structure the pitch deck and make it aesthetically and structurally pleasing.
I know this is your forte, which is why I’m coming to you asking for help.
If you’re not pressed with other tasks, could we plan a date to look through it together?
Regards,
Kim Jones
Sample 3: Email to Your Boss Asking for Help
Normalize asking for help when you don’t know a thing. But when it’s something you ought to know, apologize for not knowing it before asking for help. See the sample below.
Suggested Subject: Requesting Assistance with Campaign
Hello Jane,
I feel like I’ve been going around in circles on this ad campaign. I admit I’m feeling a little stuck targeting the right demographic.
I’ve pulled up past targeted areas and demographics from our last campaign, but this is an entirely different product, and the past demographic did not proffer much guidance.
If you’re not pressed with work, I’d like your help to ensure it’s done correctly.
Thank you for your time.
Regards,
Thomas Wayne
Sample 4: Email to Your Boss Asking for Help
This email is a formal request for assistance with a project. It includes an explanation of the challenges or problems that the sender is facing and a request for the boss’s guidance and expertise. The tone of the email is polite and respectful, acknowledging the boss’s busy schedule.
Suggested Subject: Request for Assistance with Project [Project Name]
Dear [Boss’s Name],
I hope this email finds you well. As I work on [Project Name], I have encountered a few challenges that I believe could benefit from your expertise. I was wondering if you could spare some time to help me with this project.
Specifically, I am struggling with [describe the challenge or problem you are facing]. I believe that with your guidance and experience, we can find a solution to this problem together. I understand that you have a busy schedule, so please let me know if there is a more suitable time for you.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Sample 5: Email to Your Boss Asking for Help
This email is a formal request for time off for personal reasons. It includes an explanation of the situation and a request for the boss’s approval. The tone of the email is polite and apologetic, acknowledging that this might cause some inconvenience to the boss and the team.
Suggested Subject: Request for Time Off for Personal Reasons
Dear [Boss’s Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to bring to your attention that I have some personal matters that I need to attend to in the coming days/weeks. Due to these circumstances, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to take some time off work.
I understand that this might cause some inconvenience, and I apologize for any disruption this may cause. I will ensure that my work is up to date and that I have briefed my colleagues on my tasks and responsibilities before taking my leave.
Please let me know if this is something that can be arranged. I appreciate your understanding and support.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
[Your Name]