It may seem like a trivial matter, but people’s email sign-off is actually riddled with cryptic hidden messages and passive aggressive intent. You don’t follow? Well, we’ve read between the lines and deciphered what people are actually saying when they are writing you an email…
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• Just initials
They are very confident everyone knows who they are. Perhaps too confident.
• Their name with a single “x” kiss
They’re in PR.
• Kind regards
They’re a maiden aunt in wolf’s clothing.
• Cheers
They’re looking for a casual, open-necked-shirt-with-a-suit kind of vibe, but hitting second-hand car salesman.
• Nickname
They have a deeply deluded view of their own popularity. Why, even now, the work experience kid is making everyone laugh by doing a Joey Deacon face behind your back.
• Yours faithfully
Someone who yearns for a simpler, more elegant age when people knew their place and the correct way to address a bishop.
• Just name, job title, phone number
Under the impression a war has been declared.
• Take care
Both the sender and recipient are being patronising and insincere.
• Best wishes
They are nice, trustworthy, a bit wishy-washy maybe, perhaps lacking the required killer edge, probably never going to be top-drawer, might in fact be happier in a different organisation, sacked.
• Best
As above, but you are making a concerted effort to develop a steelier side before it’s too late.
• Peace out
They are strictly old-skool. Nope, they’re actually a bit of a twat.
• Ciao
Either they are really, really creepy or a master ironist five years ahead of their time. Or Italian.
• Have a nice day
They’re American. (They’d better be.)
• Please revert
You work in IT.
• Thanks!!!
It’s some kind of hysterical girl-thing, or they have been struck down by Parkinson’s mid-email.
• Rgds
They must be soooo busy.
• 
From someone who is either very young (in which case no one will take it very seriously) or they are very twee, in which case no one will take it very seriously.
• 
Inappropriately flirtatious while also being completely unsexy.
• Laters
38 going on 14. Or, at least, they might have been five years ago.
• Thanks
They may well be too nice.
• Thank you very much
Now they’re just being insincere or, more likely, sarcastic.
• (Nothing at all)
Absurdly impatient, and frankly it’s coming across as rude.