Chapter 7: Traditional Written Communication
Learning Objectives
3. Identify the parts of effective traditional documents such as memos.
4. Plan, write, revise, and edit short documents and messages that are organized, complete, and tailored to specific audiences.
i. Format and write documents and messages such as memos and letters.
ii. Utilize a variety of document formats.
A memo (or memorandum, meaning “reminder”) communicates policies, procedures, short reports, or related official business within an organization. It assumes a one-to-all perspective, broadcasting a message to a group audience, rather than to individuals such as what email or letters often do. Memos are objective in tone and avoid all personal bias or subjective preference, especially because they may have legal standing when reflecting policies or procedures. Accuracy is therefore paramount in memos lest ambiguities result in mistakes that then become legal matters (Business Communication for Success, 2015, 9.2).
Before exploring memos in more detail, let’s review the advantages, disadvantages, and occasions for using memos given earlier in Table 2.3 on channel selection.
Table 2.3 Excerpt: Letter Pros, Cons, and Proper Use
| Channel | Advantages | Disadvantages | Expectations | Appropriate Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memo |
|
|
|
|
7.2.1: Memo Purpose
A memo’s purpose is often to inform, but it occasionally includes an element of persuasion or call to action. All organizations have informal and formal communication networks. The unofficial, informal communication network within an organization, the “grapevine,” is often a channel for rumour, gossip, and innuendo. On the grapevine, one person may hear that someone else is going to be laid off and start passing the news around. Rumours often distort the truth more and more the further along they are passed. Before you know it, the word is that the company is shutting down your entire department.
One effective way to address informal, unofficial speculation is to spell out clearly for all employees what is going on with a particular issue. If budget cuts are a concern, then it may be wise to send a memo explaining the imminent changes. If a company wants employees to take action, they may also issue a memorandum. For example, a company memo may announce a new program incentivizing employees to use public transit or other alternatives to driving to work and filling up the parking lot with their single-occupant vehicles. In this way, memos often represent the business or organization’s interests. They may also include statements that align business and employee interest, and underscore common ground and benefit (Business Communication for Success, 2015, 9.2).
Return to the Memo Topics menu
7.2.2: Memo Format
A memo often has a letterhead with “MEMO” and the company name and logo at the top of the page. Below this are the header fields identifying the recipient, author, date, and subject much like you would see in an email. In f