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Write a welcome-back email with a phased return plan
- For Managers and team leads
- You practice Keeping the AI to your sources
- Time about 5 minutes
- Level Intermediate
About this exercise
Write a welcome-back email to Tasha in plain text, under 110 words. The first line is exactly: Subject: Welcome back, Tasha. Include her first-day schedule and her working pattern for the first weeks, using the HR email where it is newer than your notes. Never mention why she was away. End with the line: Reply with any questions.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Using the old five-day plan. The AI follows the older notes. Try: Say: "Use the HR email where it is newer."
- Mentioning the leave reason. The AI writes "I hope you are feeling better". Try: Say: "Never mention why she was away."
- Missing schedule details. The AI is vague about the first day. Try: Say: "Include Monday, Tuesday and where the handover doc is."
- Missing exact lines. The AI writes its own subject and sign-off. Try: Say: "First and last lines exactly as given."
- Markdown. The AI bolds days. Try: Say: "Plain text."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part instead, for example: "each line under 15 words."
What a strong prompt includes
- Gives the subject and ending
- Says to use the newer HR email
- Bans the leave reason
- Asks for schedule items
- Plain text
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