Interoffice Memo - Essay Example

Interoffice Memo Organizational success leans heavily on effective communication. Proper communication ensures relationships are kept professional, and efficiency is the key factor. The Memo is one of the well-known means that is used within an organization. The memo is preferred because it provides a way to communicate facts and be precise (Guffey & Loewy, 2015). A memorandum is relatively easy to write because it has no to complex requirements. The goal is simplicity. The paper examines a written to determine the right ways to make the memo better. The effectiveness of a memo relies on the approach that the writer takes when communicating with his or her audience. The message should be direct without any form of strong emotions. The aim is to communicate in a professional manner without evoking any negative feelings. The interoffice memo written by Albertina Sindaha lacks professionalism, which is the foundation for all office communications. The memo directly attacks the audience, based on the way the message has been written. It is clear from the memo that the person who drafted the memo is still feuding. Professionalism is achieved through the use of a tone that does not focus on issuing threats but communicating. The writer of the memo must have taken the time to figure out an alternative way to deliver the message without too many feelings and threats. It is also worth noting that the memo has a few things that have been well. For example, direction communication helps save time. The memo directly goes to the main point. For example, the subject of the memo has been finished with an exclamation mark. Typically, an exclamation mark is used to show one is shouting. An employee reading the memo will get the vibe that the writer of the memo is shouting. The vibe from the memo is negative from the beginning. A direct attack on the employees regarding failure starts the memo. It is highly possible for many employees to ignore the message. Many will not bother to read past the subject and few opening sentences of the memo. Some of them are likely to develop a defensive attitude. The defensive attitude prevents any further communication of the message that the writer of the memo intended to pass. The memo would have been more effective if it had started with a serious tone that handles a problem at hand without attacking the audience. The effectiveness of the memo has been seriously eroded by a harsh tone, unnecessary information and the lack of professionalism exhibited by the writer of the memo. There is no need to mention about refrigerators, sink, counters and the coffee machine in the memo. In fact, even the threat is unnecessary information because it not part of the reason the memo was written. The memo has been written to remind employees to clean. It does not make sense to go into the details of the cleaning process. No one has time for all those things. The Memo should be short and precise. There is no need to point out that people cleaned their desks the last time a cleanup was communicated. It has no direct relation to the purpose of the memo, which is to inform employees to clean up after themselves. The direct applies everywhere in the workplace. Employees will feel attacked and judged instead of understanding why the company is requesting everyone to clean up after himself or herself. A critical analysis reveals that the memo is full of barriers to effective communication. First, the memo does not use a professional language that avoids the use of contraction. Syntax errors reflect poorly on the level of professionalism in an organization. Second, the harsh tone makes it sound like the writer is commanding everyone around. Politeness is very important in professional communication because it helps in making people feel appreciated (Bombardó, Aguilar, & Barahona, 2007). In addition, it acts a motivation for other employees to do their best. A direct approach that is a little bit polite would work well for the memo. Third, it is dangerous to issue threats in professional communication. It might lead to negative relationships depending on how one views the issued threats. The language in the memo is too ‘preachy’. It is judgmental and condescending from the perspective of the reader. Finally, the format of a memo is very important because it makes it easy for people to understand (Sandler & Keefe, 2008). It is also an indication of professionalism at the workplace. There is no space between the subject and the body of the memo. One can easily miss the subject of the memo. It lacks a date, which might make some people mistake it for a memo that was written a long time ago. The date is very important for reference purposes. It also helps avoid confusion. Many people are busy and might not have time to read the entire memo. Therefore, it is paramount to make the subject very clear and precise. The development of a better memo should focus on the context of the memo, purpose and the audience (Geffner, 2007). Therefore, the memo should carry a professional tone, be direct and polite. A professional tone is key to making sure no employee misunderstands the content of the memo. In addition, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of everyone following the directive on the memo. It is also necessary to offer an apology to all employees who might have been inconvenienced by changes. Employees are helping and should not be commanded. It is not mandatory for them to take part in the cleaning process. Revised Memo TO: All Employees FROM: Albertina Sindaha, Operations Manager DATE: April 16, 2015 SUBJECT: Maintaining Hygiene Standards at the Workplace The reduction of the company’s custodial budget means the organization cannot hire many cleaners. Therefore, everyone has been requested to help in keeping the lunch area, personal space, and entire workplace clean. Failure to participate in the cleaning might prompt the formulation of a work schedule to facilitate the process until an alternative solution is found. A clean workplace is beneficial to everyone in the company. Apologies for any inconveniences that might arise from the changes mentioned above. References Bombardó, S. C., Aguilar, M., & Barahona, F. C. (2007). Technical writing: A guide for effective communication. Barcelona: Edicions UPC. Geffner, A. B. (2007). How to write better business letters. Hauppauge, N.Y: Barrons. Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2015). Essentials of Business Communication. Boston, M. A: Cengage Learning Sandler, C., & Keefe, J. (2008). 1001 business letters for all occasions: From interoffice memos and employee evaluations to company policies and business invitations: templates for every situation. Avon, Mass: Adams Media. Read More